"Jo khelega, woh khilega": PM Modi meets CWG 2026 medal winners at his residence
New Delhi, August 9
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met India's medal winners from the Commonwealth Games 2026 at his residence in New Delhi and congratulated the athletes for their performances at the Glasgow Games.
Soon after the interaction, PM Modi shared a video from the meeting on X with the caption, "Always #Cheer4Bharat."
The video featured CWG gold medallist boxer Sakshi Chaudhary alongside other members of India's medal-winning contingent.
"Hello friends! This is Sakshi Chaudhary. Today, our honourable Prime Minister has invited us, the Commonwealth Games medalists, and we feel very proud. We are extremely happy to have met him; he is very humble. Sir, would you like to say something?" Sakshi said in the video.
Responding to her, PM Modi said, "Jo khelega, woh khilega" (The one who plays, will blossom). Always cheer for Bharat."
PM Modi then led the medal winners in chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai" three times.
India ended its Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow with 39 medals, including 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze, to finish fourth in the overall medal standings.
The Glasgow Games concluded after 11 days of competition, with Scotland formally handing over the Commonwealth Games flag and ceremonial baton to India, which will host the landmark centenary edition of the multi-sport event in Ahmedabad in 2030.
The flag and baton were handed over to India's representatives, Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi during the closing ceremony.
Ahmedabad will become the second Indian city to host the Commonwealth Games after New Delhi staged the event in 2010.
India's fourth-place finish in Glasgow came despite a significantly smaller contingent and a reduced sporting programme compared to Birmingham 2022. India had 122 athletes in Glasgow, compared to 210 in Birmingham, while 30 of the 61 medals won in 2022 had come in sports that were not part of the Glasgow programme.
Despite the reduced opportunities, India maintained its fourth-place position and produced a stronger medal conversion rate, with 38 athletes returning home with medals.
Long-distance runner Gulveer Singh was the only Indian athlete to win two medals at the Games.
With the ceremonial handover now complete, India's attention will turn towards Ahmedabad, which will host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see the athletes getting this recognition. But honestly, we need to focus more on grassroots sports development rather than just photo ops. 30 of our 2022 medals came from sports not in this Games' programme - that's a bit concerning for our overall sports ecosystem. Hope Ahmedabad 2030 changes this.
Fourth place with just 122 athletes? That's brilliant! The medal conversion rate is what matters. And Sakshi Chaudhary looked so confident in that video - our boxers are truly world-class. Bharat Mata ki Jai! 🙏
Neeraj Chopra carrying the flag for the handover to Ahmedabad... what a moment! The 2030 centenary Games will be huge for Gujarat. Let's hope the infrastructure and athlete support gets even better from here.
Admirable that PM took time out for the athletes. But let's not forget Gulveer Singh who won two medals - these track and field athletes rarely get the spotlight compared to cricketers. More support needed for them!
"Jo khelega, woh khilega" - PM Modi always knows the right words to inspire. The video with Sakshi was heartwarming; you can see the pride in her eyes. Great job by the entire CWG contingent! 🥇🥈🥉
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