India's 27 Medal Picks for Glasgow: Where the Podium Chances Lie At Commonwealth Games 2026
India's 125-member contingent heads to Glasgow with familiar strengths and a handful of genuine gold medal hopes.
- India's 125-member contingent heads to Glasgow with familiar strengths and handful of genuine gold medal hopes
- Weightlifting, boxing and athletics are expected to shoulder much of the medal burden
- Several younger athletes arrive after strong domestic and continental performances
India's 125-member contingent heads to Glasgow with familiar strengths and a handful of genuine gold medal hopes. As has often been the case at the Commonwealth Games 2026, weightlifting, boxing and athletics are expected to shoulder much of the medal burden. A few established names return with unfinished business, while several younger athletes arrive after strong domestic and continental performances. NDTV predicts 27 medal winners. Here's where they could come from -
Athletics: Neeraj Chopra headlines the campaign
After missing the Birmingham Commonwealth Games through injury, Neeraj Chopra returns as the biggest name in India's squad. The two-time Olympic medallist and Gold Coast 2018 champion will be expected to add another Commonwealth medal to his collection.
India's medal chances on the track are relatively limited, but Parul Chaudhary has put herself in contention through consistent performances in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m.
The field events offer greater promise.
Murali Sreeshankar has worked his way back from a patellar tendon rupture that threatened his career. Having cleared 8.38m this season, he will hope to improve on the silver medal he won in Birmingham.
In the triple jump, Praveen Chithravel enters Glasgow after a season-best leap of 16.92m at the Inter-State Championships, making him one of India's strongest medal contenders.
Veteran Tejinderpal Toor will lead India's challenge in the men's shot put, while Manpreet Kaur carries the country's hopes in the women's event.
India also has two contenders in the women's discus through Seema Kaliramma and Nidhi Rani.
Few athletes in the squad are as versatile as Tejaswin Shankar. The first Indian to cross the 8,000-point mark in the decathlon, he already has medals from major international competitions and will look to add another in Glasgow.
Weightlifting: India's proven medal sport
Weightlifting has consistently delivered for India at the Commonwealth Games, and this edition should be no different.
Mirabai Chanu leads the squad once again and remains India's biggest name in the sport.
Alongside her are Bindiyarani Devi, who won silver in Birmingham, and Harjinder Kaur, a bronze medallist from the last Games.
National champion M Raja returns after recovering from an elbow injury, while 20-year-old Ajaya Babu will make his Commonwealth Games debut after impressive performances in the domestic circuit.
Boxing: Depth across categories
India's boxing squad has medal contenders across several weight divisions.
Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain leads the challenge.
She is joined by Jaismine Lamboria, who has come through the renowned Bhiwani boxing system, two-time youth champion Sakshi Chaudhary, Asian champion Preeti Pawar, and Priya Ghanghas, who has made an impressive start to her international career.
Arundhati Chaudhary fought her way back from a wrist fracture to win gold at the 2025 World Boxing Finals and heads to Glasgow with confidence.
On the men's side, Jadumani Singh, fresh from an international gold medal, and Sachin Siwach add further medal possibilities.
Judo: Looking to go one better
Tulika Maan won silver in Birmingham and returns with another opportunity to reach the podium.
She is joined by Olympian Avtar Singh, while Harsh Tokas is regarded as one of India's brightest prospects in the 81kg category.
Lawn bowls: Hoping to build on recent progress
After lawn bowls gave India memorable moments in Birmingham, Putul Sonowal and Nayanmoni Saikia will carry the country's hopes in Glasgow.
The Outlook
India's strongest medal prospects remain concentrated in athletics, weightlifting and boxing.
Neeraj Chopra returns as the face of the campaign. Mirabai Chanu once again leads a strong weightlifting team. Boxing has enough depth to produce multiple podium finishes, while athletes such as Murali Sreeshankar, Parul Chaudhary, Praveen Chithravel, Tejaswin Shankar and Tulika Maan have the credentials to challenge in their events.
If the established names perform to expectation and a few emerging athletes seize their opportunity, India should return from Glasgow with another productive Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai Chanu
Lovlina Borgohain