Those who play, will flourish’: PM Modi meets India’s CWG medallists

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated India’s Commonwealth Games 2026 medallists for their historic performances in Glasgow and urged the country’s athletes to continue inspiring the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met with the Commonwealth Games 2026 medallists and congratulated the athletes for delivering historic performances in boxing, judo, athletics and para-athletics.

“Those who play, will flourish. Always cheer for Bharat. Bharat Mata Ki Jai!,” PM Narendra Modi posted on Instagram.

India finished fourth in medal standings with 39 medals (13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze) despite competing in a significantly reduced programme that excluded medal-rich sports such as wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting.

India’s boxing contingent returned from Glasgow with seven gold and three silver medals, with the seven gold medals coming from Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg) and Ankush Panghal (80kg).

The three silver medallists were Jadumani Singh (55kg), Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) and Narender Berwal (90+kg).

Sakshi Choudhary, one of India’s boxing gold medallists, spoke about the significance of meeting the Prime Minister and said the interaction left the athletes proud and delighted.

“We, all the Commonwealth Games medallists, were invited by our honourable Prime Minister. We feel extremely proud, and it was a wonderful experience meeting him. He is very humble, and we were very happy to meet him.”

The seven gold medals also marked the best-ever performance by Indian women boxers at the Commonwealth Games.

Indian judo contingent also produced its best-ever Commonwealth Games performance. India participated in 12 judo events in Glasgow and won four medals — two gold, one silver and one bronze, compared to three medals, with no gold, in 2022.

The breakthrough was led by Khelo India athletes Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh, who created history by winning India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medals in judo. Asmita became the first Indian woman judoka to win Commonwealth Games gold, while Harsh became the first Indian male judoka to achieve the feat.

Athletics delivered 10 medals, comprising five silver and five bronze. Gulveer Singh became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games, claiming silver in the men’s 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m.

IANS