Team India brought a touch of ancient Indian history to the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday. The contingent's ceremonial blazers celebrated the country's cultural heritage through motifs inspired by the Indus Valley Civilisation, SaptSindhu and the national flag.
Indus Valley Seals And SaptSindhu Motifs Take Centre Stage
The ceremonial blazers featured golden motifs inspired by the Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the world's earliest urban civilisations. The designs included references to iconic archaeological artefacts, such as the Priest-King sculpture and the Dancing Girl figurine, alongside imagery inspired by ancient seals.
The outfit also incorporated SaptSindhu-inspired detailing on the collar, referencing the ancient concept of the land of seven rivers. The Indian Tricolour was positioned on the blazer pocket, close to the heart, adding a prominent national symbol to the design. Together, the elements reflected India's rich cultural history and national identity through a carefully curated ceremonial outfit.
The opening ceremony marked the beginning of the fifth edition of the Asian Para Games, scheduled to run from October 18 to 24, 2026. Para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat and para-athletics sprinter Simran Sharma were named India's flag-bearers for the ceremony. The Indian contingent entered the event looking to build on its record-breaking performance at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China.
