"So many reasons to celebrate...": Alia Bhatt cheers India's medal-winning weightlifters at Commonwealth Games 2026
Mumbai, July 27
Alia Bhatt joined the nationwide celebrations for India's successful run in weightlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, congratulating the country's medal winners through a series of Instagram Stories that highlighted their achievements.
The 'Alpha' actor shared a tribute graphic recognising three Indian athletes who delivered podium finishes for the country: Muthupandi Raja, who won a silver medal in weightlifting, Rishikanta Singh, who also claimed silver in weightlifting, and Jhandu Kumar, who secured a bronze medal in para powerlifting.
Accompanying the graphic, Bhatt wrote, "So many reasons to celebrate Congratulations to our weightlifting champions on these unforgettable achievements."
Bhatt also dedicated a separate Instagram Story to Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu after the star weightlifter created history by winning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Sharing a video of Chanu's performance, the actor praised the champion's remarkable consistency on the international stage.
Her message read, "3 consecutive gold medals What a legend @mirabai_chanu !!!"
Bhatt's social media posts added to the wave of congratulatory messages pouring in from across the country as India celebrated another successful day in weightlifting at the Games.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Raja Muthupandi after the 26-year-old won silver in the men's 65kg weightlifting event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, "Another medal for India in Weightlifting! Congrats to Raja Muthupandi on winning a Silver in the Men's 65 kg event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. His success makes every Indian happy and proud. My best wishes for his upcoming endeavours."
Muthupandi secured second place with a combined lift of 286kg, recording 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk. Malaysia's Aznil Bin Bidin Muhamed won the gold medal with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, earning his third successive Commonwealth Games title.
India's weightlifting campaign continued to shine on Day 4 of the competition. Mirabai Chanu's historic third straight Commonwealth Games gold led the charge, while Chanambam Rishikanta Singh added a silver medal in the men's 60kg category. Muthupandi's silver ensured India collected three weightlifting medals on the day.
In para powerlifting, Jhandu Kumar won bronze in the men's heavyweight event at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow. The 28-year-old produced a best lift of 190kg on his second attempt, finishing with 130.9 points to secure a place on the podium.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive performance by the Indian weightlifting team at the Commonwealth Games. Alia Bhatt's support is nice, but I hope this translates into better funding and training infrastructure for athletes back home. These medal winners deserve long-term support, not just social media shoutouts.
So proud of our weightlifters! Muthupandi Raja, Rishikanta Singh, and Jhandu Kumar – your hard work is inspiring. And Mirabai Chanu, you are a true icon for women in sports. Alia Bhatt's posts are lovely, but the real celebration is for these athletes who make the nation proud. 💪🏽
Nice to see celebrities acknowledging sporting achievements. But let's not forget the grassroots struggle – many of these athletes train in subpar conditions. Hope the government uses this momentum to invest more in weightlifting academies across rural India. Kudos to the PM for his message too.
Absolutely thrilled for our athletes! Mirabai Chanu's third consecutive gold is historic and deserves all the praise. Alia Bhatt's support shows how sports unite the country. But let's also talk about the need for more recognition for para athletes like Jhandu Kumar – their journey is even tougher. 👏🏽
Good job by the weightlifting team, but we need to do better at Olympics. Commonwealth Games medals are great, but world-class competition is different. Still, celebrating these wins is important for morale. Alia's posts are a small but nice gesture. Onwards and upwards, India!
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