New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed India’s Commonwealth Games 2026 medallists for making the country proud and said their achievements would inspire generations to come, with the para-athletes receiving special praise during his interaction with the contingent at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
Addressing the medallists from the Glasgow Games, Modi said their success was about much more than adding medals to India’s tally, stressing that their performances were helping create a sporting culture and motivating young athletes across the country.
“I do not consider this achievement to be yours alone. Your victory becomes a great source of inspiration for the generations to come,” Modi told the athletes.
“You have not just increased the number of medals. You have prepared an entire generation,” he added.
Modi also underlined the power of sporting success to inspire children, saying, “The work that perhaps we could have done by going to schools and speaking to children, your medals inspire them much more.”
“Friends, you have done a great job. You have made the country proud. I congratulate you wholeheartedly,” the Prime Minister said while praising the athletes for their performances.
He also encouraged the medallists to continue their pursuit of excellence, telling them: “Believe me, you will continue to achieve victories in the future, and we will meet here once again.”
Modi was particularly moved while interacting with gold medallist weightlifter Mirabhai Chanu, who became emotional while recalling their struggles and the moment of standing on the podium as the Indian flag was raised.
“So many tears were rolling down. I feel as though every drop of those tears is like a gold medal falling,” he said.
The Prime Minister also praised the athletes for their contribution to India’s sporting rise, saying their efforts over the past decade had helped establish a tradition of taking the country to new heights.
“I have met many players, but I have met you because of your efforts over the last 10-12 years, because of your efforts to bring continuous victories for India and because of the tradition you have created of taking the country to new heights in sport,” Modi said.
In Glasgow India came fourth in the medal table, earning a total of 39 medals—13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze—even though it had taken part in a greatly reduced programme which omitted several sports that usually produce medals, such as wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting.
India’s team in boxing gave one of the best showings at the Games, taking seven gold and three silver medals. The gold medals were won by Preeti Pawar (in the 54kg category), Jaismine Lamboria (in the 57kg category), Sakshi Chaudhary (in the 51kg category), Priya Ghanghas (in the 60kg category), Arundhati Choudhary (in the 70kg category), Sachin Siwach (in the 60kg category) and Ankush Panghal (in the 80kg category).
Jadumani Singh in the 55kg category, Lovlina Borgohain in the 75kg category and Narender Berwal in the 90kg-plus category earned silver medals; India’s seven boxing gold medals also marked the best performance by Indian women boxers at the Commonwealth Games.
Modi also praised the Indian boxers for the effect of their performances and the confidence that they had given to the country.
“Truthfully, your video is no ordinary one and people will remember it for a long time; in fact, boxers from all over the world have now begun to fear us,” he said.
India achieved its best performance ever at the Commonwealth Games in the sport of judo, securing four medals—two gold, one silver and one bronze—across twelve events. These two gold medals were historic since Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh, who are athletes with the Khelo India programme, became the first Indian woman and man respectively to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in judo.
Athletics secured ten medals, consisting of five silver and five bronze, and Gulveer Singh made history by becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games; he obtained a silver medal in the men’s 10,000 metres and a bronze in the 5,000 metres.
The Prime Minister also pointed out the broader importance of the athletes’ success, especially the contribution made by initiatives such as Khelo India to the development of the country’s future sporting talent.
“The work which perhaps we might have carried out by visiting schools and talking to children is much more effectively inspired in them by your medals,” Modi said.
The overall performance of the Indian team was especially noteworthy considering that the programme in Glasgow was limited. Since wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting were not part of the Games, India had fewer chances of increasing its usual number of medals.
Yet the country won 39 medals and came fourth, thanks to its strong showings in boxing, judo, athletics and para-athletics.
–IANS
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