India’s Golden Day at CWG 2026: Five Athletes Strike Gold

India clinched 39 medals, including 13 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze, at the recently concluded 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  India also achieved its best-ever results in boxing and para sports.

Among India’s standout performers were five athletes who secured gold medals in their respective events. 

1. Sharmila Dhankar

Sharmila Dhankar secured the gold medal in the Women’s Shot Put F57 event marking season’s -best throw of 9.81 metres, adding another major international title to India’s para athletics campaign. The medal adds to her growing list of international achievements after previously winning medals at international para athletics competitions, further strengthening India’s presence in para field events. 

Born in Haryana, Dhankar began her para-athletics career in 2020 and first competed for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.  

In 2021, she won the national championship and became India’s top F57 seated shot put competitor.  She ended a 20-year drought for an Indian para-athlete to win a medal at the Games and became the country’s first-ever gold medallist in the sport at the Commonwealth Games. Athletes with lower limb limitations or other types of diminished muscle power are classified as F57. Since then, Sharmila has emerged as one of the most well-known para-athletes in India. 

2. Harsh Singh 

Harsh Singh won India’s gold medal in the Men’s -60kg judo category against Australia’s Joshua Katz. Katz is an Australian Olympian, a multiple-time Oceania champion and a former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, making him an experienced opponent in the final. 

Harsh has earlier represented India at several International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Slam and Grand Prix events. His  victory marked one of India’s key achievements in judo. The medal adds to his achievements on the international circuit, having represented India at major continental competitions before making his breakthrough at the Games. Harsh marked his place as the first Indian male judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.  

3. Preeti Pawar 

Preeti Pawar won the gold medal in the Women’s 54kg division, extending India’s winning streak in boxing. Pawar won the gold medal in the final after maintaining control throughout the competition. 

Preeti has been one of India’s top boxers in the bantamweight division for the past several years, and she previously made news when she won bronze in the 2022 Asian Games. In a 5-0 unanimous decision, Preeti Pawar won gold over Scarlett Savannah Delgado of Canada. 

Prior to this gold, Preeti had already taken home a bronze medal from the Asian Games and won the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships and the 2025 World Boxing Cup Final. She had won every round of the competition and was ranked third in the world going into the final. 

4. Jaismine Lamboria 

World champion Jaismine Lamboria won gold in the Women’s 57kg boxing event after defeating Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland.

Jaismine made her Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, representing India in the women’s 57 kg boxing category. She won bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and became the first female boxer inducted into the Indian Army, joining the Corps of Military Police. 

Winning gold at the 2025 World Boxing Championships, the 2025 World Boxing Cup Final, and the 2025 World Boxing Cup in Kazakhstan, as well as silver at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships. 

5. Arundhati Choudhary 

Arundhati Choudhary completed India’s successful boxing campaign by winning the Women’s 70kg gold medal. She had earlier attracted attention in the semifinals by defeating the defending Commonwealth champion before going on to secure the title. 

Earlier in her career she was Junior World Champion in 2020 and won gold at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in 2021. Arundhati  had previously won gold at the BFI Cup (Chennai, October 2025) and the 70kg title at the 2025 World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida, continuing her unbeaten run in Glasgow. 

The Commonwealth Games triumph marks one of the biggest milestones of her career and further establishes her among India’s emerging boxing talents on the international stage.