"Overjoyed": Mirabai Chanu excited as India set to host next Commonwealth Games
Ahmedabad, August 1
Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu expressed happiness over the warm reception she received during her visit to the Ahmedabad centre, saying she was delighted to see a large number of fellow Indians gathered there.
Speaking to ANI, Chanu said, "I am truly delighted. I hadn't expected to meet so many fellow Indians here. It feels like the entire city of Ahmedabad has come here."
She also expressed excitement over India hosting the next Commonwealth Games and said she was preparing herself to deliver her best performance.
"India is set to host the next Commonwealth Games. We've been watching the preparations unfold over the past year. I am overjoyed that India will be hosting these games, and I am fully preparing myself to deliver my best performance across all sports disciplines," she said.
Meanwhile,, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, has written to the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, on his own initiative, urging that India's celebrated weightlifter and Olympic medallist, Mirabai Chanu, be considered for the prestigious Arjuna Award this year, according to an official press release.
In his letter, Prataprao Jadhav highlighted Mirabai Chanu's exceptional achievements and her remarkable contribution to Indian weightlifting. The Minister noted that the athlete from Manipur has created history through her outstanding performances at the Commonwealth Games, bringing immense pride to the nation.
Prataprao Jadhav highlighted Chanu's remarkable record of winning gold medals at successive editions of the Commonwealth Games and her distinction of being the athlete who won India's first gold medal on each of these occasions. The Minister also highlighted her exceptional performances in the 48 kg category, including her record-breaking lifts in the snatch, clean and jerk and total lift categories.
Jadhav further highlighted that Mirabai Chanu has already been honoured with several of the country's highest sporting recognitions, including the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and the Padma, besides winning an Olympic medal.
However, her childhood dream of receiving the Arjuna Award, which she had nurtured since her early days of training in her village in Manipur, remains unfulfilled.
Urging the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports to consider her nomination, Jadhav expressed that honouring Mirabai Chanu with the Arjuna Award would be a fitting recognition of her outstanding performances, exceptional talent and invaluable contribution to Indian sport.
Prataprao Jadhav also emphasised that Chanu's inspiring journey from a small village in Manipur to becoming one of India's most accomplished weightlifters is a testament to her determination, perseverance and dedication and serves as an inspiration to millions of young Indians.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Mirabai's excitement is so genuine, you can feel it through the article. From a small village in Manipur to lifting India's hopes on the world stage - what an inspiration! Hosting CWG in Ahmedabad will be huge for our athletes and the local economy. Also, can we please hurry up with that Arjuna Award? She's waited long enough.
Great to see the government moving on her Arjuna nomination. But let's be honest - this should have happened years ago. The woman has been a consistent performer, bringing us gold after gold at the CWG. Honestly, the award system needs to be more responsive to actual achievements. Anyway, wishing her all the best for the games! 💪
The way she says "the entire city of Ahmedabad has come here" - you can see how much love she has for the crowd and the country. And yes, hosting the Commonwealth Games at home is going to be a game-changer. Young athletes will get to see their heroes compete live in India. Also, that's a nice gesture by Minister Jadhav, taking the initiative like that.
As someone who follows global sports, it's genuinely exciting to see India host another major multi-sport event. Mirabai is a true champion and her journey from Manipur to Olympic medals is exactly the kind of story that inspires the next generation. Hope the organizers in Ahmedabad deliver a world-class event. The Arjuna Award should be a no-brainer at this point.
All for the applause, but I
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