Mirabai Chanu to lead India's Glasgow 2026 weightlifting team
India has named an 11-athlete weightlifting squad for the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, with two-time champion Mirabai Chanu set to compete in the women's 48kg category as the country pursues another podium-heavy campaign after topping the sport's medal table in 2018 and 2022. The selection blends returning Commonwealth medallists with first-time Games lifters ahead of competition at the SEC Armadillo from July 26 to 30.
Key Takeaways
- Mirabai Chanu spearheads India's Commonwealth Games 2026 weightlifting team in the women's 48kg class.
- Bindyarani Devi, Harjinder Kaur, and Lovepreet Singh return after Birmingham 2022 podium finishes.
- Weightlifting runs July 26–30 at Glasgow's SEC Armadillo, with the wider Games opening July 23.
- India topped the weightlifting medal table at both Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
- The squad leaves for a Birmingham conditioning camp before travelling to Glasgow.
Who is on India's Commonwealth Games 2026 weightlifting squad?
The Indian Weightlifting Federation squad announced on June 26 lists six women and five men for Glasgow, according to Olympics.com and syndicated reports from The Times of India.
Women: Mirabai Chanu (48kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (53kg), Bindyarani Devi (58kg), Harjinder Kaur (69kg), Sanjana (77kg), and Martina Devi (+86kg).
Men: Rishikanta Singh (60kg), M Raja (65kg), Ajaya Babu (79kg), Dilbag Singh (94kg), and Lovepreet Singh (+110kg).
Among the men, Birmingham bronze medallist Lovepreet Singh heads the contingent, while three lifters—Rishikanta Singh, Ajaya Babu, and Dilbag Singh—will make their Commonwealth Games debuts.
Why does Mirabai Chanu lead India's Glasgow weightlifting campaign?
Chanu is a two-time Commonwealth Games champion with three career CWG medals—two gold and one silver—making her the natural face of India's challenge. She will compete in the 48kg division in Glasgow, a category she is targeting before shifting back to 49kg later in the season.
She will be joined by fellow Manipuri lifter Bindyarani Devi (58kg) and Punjab's Harjinder Kaur (69kg), both silver medallists at Birmingham 2022. That veteran core gives India proven podium finishers across multiple women's weight classes.
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What is India's recent Commonwealth weightlifting record?
India has dominated Commonwealth weightlifting in recent editions. The country finished atop the medal table at Gold Coast 2018 with nine medals, including five gold, then repeated as table-toppers at Birmingham 2022 with 10 medals, including three gold.
That sustained haul is why Glasgow 2026 matters beyond a single roster announcement. India is not rebuilding from scratch—it is sending a squad built around repeat medallists and qualified newcomers in a sport where it has become the team to beat within the Commonwealth.
When will India's weightlifting team compete in Glasgow?
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games begin on July 23. Weightlifting is scheduled from July 26 to 30 at the SEC Armadillo venue.
The Indian squad is set to depart for Birmingham on Sunday for a conditioning camp before heading to Glasgow ahead of the opening ceremony. That preparation block is the final tune-up for a group carrying both experience and debutant energy into Scotland.