Japan — India’s Asian Games 2026 schedule for September 21 is packed with medal opportunities and high-profile contests as the Indian contingent looks to build on its opening-day performance in Aichi-Nagoya.
Shooting will again occupy centre stage, with Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil competing in the men’s 10m air rifle events. The shotgun contingent will also be in action, while Suchika Tariyal returns for her women’s 60kg traditional MMA semifinal after already securing a medal for India.
The day also brings India-Pakistan meetings in both the men’s and women’s team table tennis competitions, along with hockey, kabaddi, badminton, swimming, boxing, wushu, sepak takraw and soft tennis.
Asian Games 2026 September 21 Schedule: Shooting Takes Early Spotlight
India’s shooters will be among the first athletes in action on Monday.
The men’s 10m air rifle qualification and team final is scheduled from 6:15 am IST, featuring Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil. If they qualify, the individual final is scheduled for 9 am IST.
The shotgun programme begins shortly after.
Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill and Mairaj Ahmad Khan will compete in the men’s skeet qualification, while Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon and Maheshwari Chauhan will represent India in the women’s skeet event. Both team competitions also carry medal significance.
The strong focus on shooting comes after India opened its medal account at the Games with two silver medals in the women’s 10m air rifle events. Elavenil Valarivan won individual silver and was also part of the Indian team that finished second.
India’s Key Shooting Events on September 21
| Time (IST) | Event | Indian athletes |
|---|---|---|
| 6:15 am | Men’s 10m Air Rifle qualification/team final | Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Rudrankksh Patil |
| 6:30 am | Men’s Skeet qualification/team event | Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Mairaj Ahmad |
| 6:30 am | Women’s Skeet qualification/team event | Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan |
| 9:00 am | Men’s 10m Air Rifle individual final* | Indian qualifiers |
*Subject to qualification.
Suchika Tariyal Returns in MMA Semifinal
One of the most closely watched appearances of the day will come from Suchika Tariyal.
Tariyal is scheduled to face Singapore’s Teo Hui Hoon in the women’s traditional 60kg MMA semifinal at 8:30 am IST. Her place in the semifinal has already guaranteed India at least a bronze medal in the event.
Her appearance is particularly significant because MMA is making its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya. Tariyal has therefore already secured a place in the Games’ history as India’s first MMA medallist, with the semifinal offering her an opportunity to progress further.
The result will determine whether India’s assured medal becomes silver or bronze.
India vs Pakistan: Table Tennis Adds Another Major Clash
The September 21 Asian Games schedule also features two India-Pakistan encounters in table tennis.
The Indian women’s team is scheduled to meet Pakistan at 6:30 am IST in Group F. The Indian squad includes Sreeja Akula, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Syndrela Das.
Later in the afternoon, the Indian men’s team faces Pakistan at 3:30 pm IST. The Indian line-up includes G. Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah and Payas Jain.
Both matches add a familiar sporting rivalry to a day already crowded with medal events and qualification battles.
Hockey and Kabaddi Teams Also in Action
India’s women’s hockey team will face Indonesia at 9:30 am IST in the pool stage.
The men’s and women’s kabaddi teams also have group-stage fixtures. India’s men face Japan at 9:45 am, while the women take on Bangladesh at 4:15 pm.
The Indian men’s badminton team will also begin its campaign against Bangladesh at 11:30 am, adding another major team-sport event to the schedule.
Swimming, Boxing and Wushu Add to India’s Busy Day
The swimming programme begins early, with Indian athletes competing in the men’s 50m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 4x200m freestyle relay.
Among those scheduled to compete are Srihari Nataraj, Rishabh Das, Akash Mani, Heer Gitesh Shah, Danush Suresh and the Indian relay team. Finals later in the day are subject to qualification.
Boxing and wushu will also see Indian representation.
Sumit is scheduled to face Thailand’s Bunjong Sinsiri in the men’s 70kg preliminary round, while Roshibina Devi competes in the women’s 60kg sanda round of 16. Aryan will compete in the men’s 56kg sanda event.
Full India Schedule for Asian Games 2026 on September 21
Key Indian events scheduled for Monday include:
- 5:30 am: Men’s team regu, sepak takraw — India vs Japan
- 5:30 am: Soft tennis mixed doubles — India vs Cambodia
- 6:15 am: Men’s 10m air rifle — qualification/team final
- 6:30 am: Men’s and women’s skeet — qualification/team events
- 6:30 am: Women’s table tennis team — India vs Pakistan
- 6:32 am onwards: Swimming heats
- 8:30 am: Suchika Tariyal — MMA women’s traditional 60kg semifinal
- 9:30 am: Women’s hockey — India vs Indonesia
- 9:45 am: Men’s kabaddi — India vs Japan
- 11:30 am: Men’s badminton team — India vs Bangladesh
- 2:45 pm: Boxing — Sumit vs Bunjong Sinsiri
- 3:00 pm: Wushu — Roshibina Devi
- 3:30 pm: Men’s table tennis team — India vs Pakistan
- 3:50 pm: Wushu — Aryan
- 4:15 pm: Women’s kabaddi — India vs Bangladesh.
Where India’s Medal Hopes Stand
India began its Asian Games 2026 campaign with two silver medals in shooting. Elavenil Valarivan accounted for both, winning individual silver and contributing to the team silver.
The country also secured medals in other competitions during the opening phase: Suchika Tariyal reached the MMA semifinal, while the Indian women’s cricket team advanced to the gold-medal match after defeating Bangladesh.
That makes September 21 less about a single headline event and more about depth across disciplines. Shooting provides the clearest early medal opportunities, while Tariyal’s semifinal and the team-sport fixtures could shape another busy day for India.
For fans following the Asian Games 2026 India schedule, Monday offers an unusually broad programme — from shooting ranges and swimming pools to hockey pitches, kabaddi courts and the table-tennis arena.
The action starts before sunrise in India. The medal race will continue long after.
