Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Blind Swimmer Himanshu Nandal Targets Personal Bests at Asian Para Games
Himanshu Nandal is a blind swimmer from India.
He grew up in Rohtak and moved to Delhi with his family when he was four.
His family encouraged him to try activities and sports, including judo.
He later chose para swimming and worked hard to learn and improve his strokes.
Watching the Tokyo Olympics helped inspire him to aim for the highest level in sport.
In 2024, he reached a qualifying standard for the Paris Paralympics, but a place was not available to him because of quota allocation.
He is now preparing for the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
He wants to beat his 100-metre backstroke personal best and do his best for India.
Indian para swimmer Himanshu Nandal is preparing for the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Born in Rohtak, Nandal moved to Delhi with his family after turning four to seek better education and opportunities.
He began with judo before transitioning to para swimming, which he said offered vision-based athlete classifications.
In 2024, he became the first Indian blind swimmer to achieve the Minimum Qualification Standard for the Paris Paralympics, but did not compete because of quota allocation.
Nandal aims to improve his 100-metre backstroke personal best of 1:12.04 and represent India proudly.
- Who
- Himanshu Nandal, an Indian blind para swimmer.
- What
- He is preparing for the Asian Para Games and hopes to improve his 100-metre backstroke personal best.
- When
- The Games are scheduled for 2026; the interview also discusses his 2024 Paris Paralympics qualifying achievement.
- Where
- Aichi-Nagoya, Japan; Nandal grew up in Rohtak and later moved to Delhi.
- Why
- He aims to improve his performance and represent India with pride.
Medal or time target
Performance-first goal
Approach to the Asian Para Games
Medal or time target
A specific medal or time could be used as a target.
Performance-first goal
Nandal said he is not focusing on a particular medal or number; he wants to give his best on the day and improve his personal best.
- Sport
- Para swimming
- Upcoming event
- Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya
- Personal best
- 1:12.04 in the 100-metre backstroke
- Qualification milestone
- First Indian blind swimmer to achieve the Minimum Qualification Standard for the Paris Paralympics, in 2024
- Paris outcome
- He did not compete at Paris because of available quota allocation
- Earlier sport
- Judo
- Race support
- He relies on training, muscle memory and communication with a tapper