Imphal: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya handed out cash rewards to India’s weightlifting squad on Monday. The ceremony honored the team for their performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu walked away with the top prize of Rs 30 lakh after securing her third consecutive gold medal. Mirabai remains the first Indian weightlifter to claim three straight Commonwealth gold titles.
Mandaviya opened his wallet for the rest of the squad too. Silver medalists pocketed Rs 20 lakh each, while bronze winners received Rs 10 lakh. The haul included eight medals across 11 weight classes. The team walked away with one gold, six silver, and one bronze medal. They also smashed multiple Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records during the event.
The silver medalists recognized at the event included Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, and Gyaneshwari Yadav. Bindyarani Devi picked up a bronze medal. The Minister credited coaches like Dronacharya Awardee Vijay Sharma for the team's success. He spoke directly to the athletes about their impact on the country. "Their achievements had made the nation proud," Mandaviya said.
He noted that the country celebrated every single medal win. The achievements even reached the floor of Parliament. Mandaviya pledged that the Central Government will continue to back these athletes. They plan to keep building up India’s sporting infrastructure to produce more champions.
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