Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday interacted with members of the Indian Army contingent that won 16 medals, including eight gold, seven silver and one bronze, at the recently concluded 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Of the 39 medals won by India at the Games, including 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze, personnel from the Defence Forces accounted for 18 medals. The Indian Army contributed 16 medals, while two were won by Indian Navy personnel.
Addressing the athletes, Rajnath Singh commended their determination and resilience in overcoming physical and mental challenges and bringing laurels to the country at the international sporting event.
Describing their performance as “extraordinary”, the Defence Minister said the athletes were an inspiration, particularly for the country’s youth, and represented a “perfect blend of a soldier and a champion”.
He also highlighted the performance of Indian women boxers, with Army women boxers accounting for four of India’s seven gold medals in boxing.
Rajnath Singh also noted that champions were emerging from different parts of the country, reflecting the growing democratisation of sport in India. He extended his best wishes to the athletes for upcoming international competitions, including the Asian Games and the Olympics.
Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth and other senior Army officials were present at the interaction held at Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi.
The Indian Army contingent’s campaign in Glasgow was marked by several firsts and record performances.
Naib Subedar Sarvesh Kushare won India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games silver medal in high jump.
Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh became the first Indian athlete to win two athletics medals at a single Commonwealth Games, securing silver in the 10,000 metres and bronze in the 5,000 metres.
In judo, Havildar Harsh Singh won India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport in the 60 kg category.
Subedar Soman Rana and Lance Naik Shubham Juyal created history by winning India’s first-ever gold and silver medals in para shot put at the Commonwealth Games.
In weightlifting, Havildar Ajaya Babu registered a Games Record of 149 kg in the snatch in the 79 kg category and recorded a total lift of 330 kg.
The Army also made a significant contribution to India’s boxing campaign. India won seven gold medals in boxing at the Games, the highest number won by any nation in boxing at a single edition. Army boxers accounted for six of India’s seven gold medals and two silver medals.
The Defence Ministry attributed the athletes’ performance to years of disciplined training, sacrifice, professional coaching, sports science support and sustained efforts by athletes, coaches, support staff, the Mission Olympic Wing and its high-performance nodes.
The Army medal winners included Havildar Sakshi, Naib Subedar Preeti, Naib Subedar Jasmine, Havildar Arundhati Chaudhary, Havildar Sachin Sewach and Havildar Ankush in boxing, along with Havildar Harsh Singh in judo and Subedar Soman Rana in para shot put among the gold medallists.
Silver medallists included Lt Col (Hony) Neeraj Chopra in javelin throw, Naib Subedar Sarvesh in high jump, Havildar Jadumani Singh and Subedar Narinder in boxing, Havildar Ajaya Babu in weightlifting, Naib Subedar Gulveer in the 10,000 metres and Lance Naik Shubham Juyal in para shot put.
CPO COM(TEL) Lovepreet Singh and CPO (PT) Chanambam Rishikanta Singh also won silver medals in weightlifting.
Naib Subedar Gulveer added a bronze medal in the 5,000 metres to his silver in the 10,000 metres.
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