New Delhi, 03 August (H.S.): Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday felicitated Indian weightlifters who delivered a remarkable performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Praising the athletes for their historic achievements in Glasgow, he said their responsibility is not limited to winning medals but also includes inspiring young people to take up sports by visiting schools and colleges.
Indian weightlifters secured a total of eight medals at the Commonwealth Games, including one gold, six silver and one bronze, while competing across 11 weight categories. During the competition, Indian athletes also created several Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records, with many recording their personal best performances.
Dr Mandaviya presented cash rewards of Rs 30 lakh to gold medallists, Rs 20 lakh to silver medallists and Rs 10 lakh to bronze medallists.
Congratulating the athletes, Dr Mandaviya said, “The entire nation was celebrating your achievements. Whenever you won medals, those moments were announced in Parliament as well. They were moments of pride for every Indian.”
The Sports Minister also praised all the coaches, including Dronacharya Award-winning coach Vijay Sharma, who accompanied the athletes. He said, “A mentor plays the most important role in a sportsperson’s success. There can be no greater contribution than that of a coach in shaping champions.”
Dr Mandaviya highlighted that Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu created history by winning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. He also noted that Rishikant Singh and Valluri Ajay Babu set new Commonwealth Games records in the snatch category, while athletes including Gyaneshwari Yadav and Harjinder Kaur delivered personal best performances, proving that Indian weightlifting continues to reach new heights.
He informed that six out of the 11 Indian weightlifters who participated in the Commonwealth Games are Khelo India Athletes (KIAs). Among the medal winners, Gyaneshwari Yadav is a Khelo India Athlete, while Bindyarani Devi, Harjinder Kaur and several others train at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Patiala. He said this reflects the success of India’s sports development system, from grassroots talent identification to high-performance training.
Calling upon the athletes to inspire young people across the country, Dr Mandaviya said, “Your stories of struggle and success can inspire thousands of children to dream big. Visit schools and colleges and encourage youngsters to adopt sports. Together, we are moving towards making India a true sporting superpower.”
During the felicitation ceremony, the Sports Minister interacted with the athletes about their struggles, their journey towards winning medals and their future goals, particularly preparations for the Asian Games 2026. The players shared their experiences of difficult phases, national training camps, international exposure, scientific training and their determination to continue winning medals for the country.
Encouraging athletes who narrowly missed out on medals, Dr Mandaviya said, “A sportsperson never truly loses. The most important thing is the passion to continuously improve. I am confident that the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the support of 140 crore Indians will always remain with you.”
Emphasising India’s long-term sports development vision, Dr Mandaviya said, “Many of these medal winners have progressed through initiatives like Khelo India, where athletes receive world-class coaching, scientific support and competitive opportunities. The country has invested in you because it believes in your potential. Indian athletes are being provided every possible facility to compete with the best in the world.”
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
