Glasgow: India has made a determined start to its campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, demonstrating resilience, depth and emerging strength across multiple disciplines. With the Games running from July 23 to August 2, the Indian contingent of approximately 122 athletes has produced several memorable performances despite facing stiff competition from traditional sporting powerhouses such as Australia, England and Canada.
By the end of the first week of competition, India had collected 15 medals—3 gold, 9 silver and 3 bronze—placing the country around eighth in the overall standings. While the medal tally has been dominated by silver medals, the performances have reflected India’s growing competitiveness across weightlifting, para-sports and athletics, with several athletes delivering career-defining achievements.
Weightlifting has once again emerged as India’s most dependable medal-producing discipline. Olympic medallistMirabai Chanu reaffirmed her status as one of India’s greatest weightlifters by winning the gold medal in the women’s 48kg category, completing an extraordinary hat-trick of Commonwealth Games titles. Her victory provided India with early momentum and reinforced the country’s long-standing dominance in the sport.
India’s depth in weightlifting was equally evident through a series of podium finishes. Rishikanta Singh secured silver in the men’s 60kg event, while Raja Muthupandi claimed silver in the men’s 65kg category. Gyaneshwari Yadav added another silver in the women’s 53kg division, and Bindyarani Devi contributed a bronze in the women’s 58kg competition. Collectively, these performances underscored the country’s strong talent pipeline in weightlifting.
The para-sports contingent has delivered some of the most inspiring moments of India’s campaign. Sharmila Dhankar created history by winning the gold medal in the women’s Shot Put F57 event, becoming India’s first para-athletics gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games. Her triumph resonated far beyond sport, symbolising perseverance after overcoming polio, financial hardship and personal adversity.
India’s para-athletics success continued with Dilip MahaduGavit, who captured gold in the men’s 100m T47 event, while Mohammed Basil finished with a silver medal in the same category. Shilpa K. Shyla earned bronze alongside Dhankar in the women’s Shot Put F57 competition, and Jhandu Kumar added another bronze in para powerlifting, highlighting India’s growing stature in para-sport on the international stage.
Athletics has also contributed significantly to India’s medal tally. Sarvesh Anil Kushare secured silver in the men’s high jump, Murali Sreeshankar finished second in the men’s long jump, and Gulveer Singh claimed silver in the men’s 10,000 metres. These performances indicate India’s improving standards in track and field, where consistency at the highest level has traditionally been a challenge.
India’s boxing team has also raised hopes for a stronger finish. Several boxers, including Jadumani Singh and Sakshi Chaudhary, have progressed to the semifinals, ensuring at least bronze medals while remaining in contention for gold. Their advancement could significantly strengthen India’s medal tally during the closing stages of the Games.
Despite these encouraging performances, India’s campaign has revealed areas requiring improvement. Compared with previous editions—particularly the 2018 Gold Coast Games, where India finished third with 66 medals, and the 2022 Birmingham Games, where it secured 61 medals and fourth place—the current tally has been relatively modest. The shortage of gold medals suggests that while Indian athletes are consistently reaching podium finishes, converting silver into gold remains a key challenge.
Some traditionally successful disciplines, including wrestling, shooting and team sports, have yet to make a significant impact in the early stages of the competition, increasing the burden on weightlifting, para-sports and athletics to drive the medal count.
