CWG 2026: Rajnath Singh congratulates Ajaya Babu, Sarvesh Kushare on silver medals
New Delhi, July 28
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday congratulated Indian athletes Valluri Ajaya Babu and Sarvesh Kushare for winning silver medals in weightlifting and high jump, respectively, at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Taking to X, the Defence Minister congratulated Valluri Ajaya Babu on securing the silver medal in the men's 79kg weightlifting event and praised his grit, composure and competitive spirit.
"Congratulations to Valluri Ajaya Babu on securing the Silver Medal in the Men's 79kg Weightlifting event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. He displayed exceptional grit, composure and competitive spirit. His podium finish is a reflection of India's growing strength in weightlifting and the rewards of unwavering dedication to excellence. Wishing you many more achievements and continued success in the years ahead," Rajnath Singh wrote.
The Defence Minister also congratulated high jumper Sarvesh Kushare on winning the silver medal, praising his composure, technique and competitive spirit on the international stage.
"Congratulations to Sarvesh Kushare on winning the Silver Medal in the High Jump at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. He displayed exceptional composure, technique and competitive spirit on the international stage. His performance is a testament to the growing strength of Indian athletics. Wishing him continued success and many more laurels for the country in the years ahead," Rajnath wrote on X.
India had a strong Day 5 at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, winning four medals to take its overall tally to 10 medals.
The highlight was Sharmila Dhankar's gold in the women's shot put F57, making her India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medallist in para athletics. Shilpa K. Shyla's upgrade to bronze after a Nigerian athlete's disqualification also gave India a double podium finish.
In athletics, Sarvesh Kushare won silver in men's high jump, while Murali Sreeshankar and Lokesh Satyanathan qualified for the long jump final. Weightlifting added three more medals, with Gyaneshwari Yadav winning silver, Bindyarani Devi taking bronze and Valluri Ajaya Babu securing silver.
India also made progress in boxing and swimming, with several athletes advancing in their respective events, while Sajan Prakash and Swatik Patil reached swimming finals. However, Tejas Shirse, Sumit Kundu and several others bowed out of their events.
India's medal winners so far include Mirabai Chanu and Sharmila Dhankar with gold, along with five silver and three bronze medallists across weightlifting, athletics and para powerlifting.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Bahut badhiya! Sarvesh and Ajaya Babu have shown that hard work pays off. Rajnath Singh's words are encouraging, but let's not forget the real heroes - the coaches, families, and the athletes themselves who sacrifice so much. India's tally of 10 medals is good, but we need to aim higher. Next time, let's go for gold in more events! Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
It's inspiring to see India's progress in weightlifting and athletics! Ajaya Babu's composure under pressure and Sarvesh's technique are commendable. The fact that we now have a para athletics gold medalist (Sharmila Dhankar) is amazing. Kudos to all athletes - you've made every Indian proud! 🙌
While I'm happy for the medals, I can't help but think - we should have won more. With India's population and talent pool, 10 medals after Day 5 is decent but not exceptional. Our boxing and swimming progress is good, but we need to convert that into more podiums. Still, congratulations to all medalists, especially Sharmila for making history! 🇮🇳
Big congratulations to Ajaya Babu and Sarvesh Kushare! It's always heartwarming to see athletes from smaller towns and different backgrounds succeed on the world stage. Rajnath Singh's message shows the government's support, but I hope this translates into more funding for sports science, nutrition, and training. Every medal tells a story of perseverance! 💪
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.