Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen faced a surprising defeat at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games trials, coinciding with widespread support among boxers for the reinstatement of the trial-based selection system.
Following her Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal win, Indian boxer Preeti Pawar reflected on the learning experience that the event gave her ahead of the Asian Games this year and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the boxing culture in her hometown Bhiwani, known as 'Mini Cuba' for producing world-class talent and the fulfillment of her baklava promise after her medal win in Glasgow.
Indian Olympic medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain noticed an inaccurate map of India, missing the Northeast region, displayed at a popular Indian restaurant in Glasgow during a celebratory dinner. Following her observation, Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh confirmed that the restaurant management acknowledged the error and assured the Indian contingent that the map would be corrected.
Indian women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have reached the quarterfinals of the World Championships, putting them one step closer to securing a medal.
The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has clarified that Manika Batra's exclusion from India's Asian Games squad was due to strict adherence to existing selection criteria. Despite her name being considered, Batra did not meet the requirements, primarily lacking a national ranking and not being in the top 50 of international rankings at the time of selection. The decision was a collective one by the selection committee, based on a comprehensive assessment.
Long jumper Shahnavaz Khan and high jumper Basant Kumar Meghwal, both recent World Athletics U20 Championships medalists, are now setting their sights on podium finishes at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, aiming to improve their personal bests.
India had a stellar Day 7 at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with Murali Sreeshankar securing his second consecutive long jump silver medal and Indian boxers assuring the country of 10 medals by reaching the semi-finals in various categories. Para athletes also made history with a one-two finish in the men's 100m T47 event.
India's Chef de Mission Rohit Rajpal stated that success at the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games will be measured not only by medals but also by the 'knowledge it acquires' for hosting the 2030 edition in Ahmedabad.
Indian athletes are set to compete across various disciplines including athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, swimming, and weightlifting on the seventh day of the Commonwealth Games, with several medal events scheduled.
India's Neeraj Chopra will face reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage in a highly anticipated men's javelin clash at the Commonwealth Games, as India aims to surpass its previous medal tally in athletics.
Jaspreet Kaur and Jhandu Kumar, two Indian para powerlifters, have overcome significant personal challenges, including polio and poverty, to qualify for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya led a cycling rally in Glasgow, engaging the Indian community to promote healthy living and encourage support for the 'Cheer for Bharat' initiative at the Commonwealth Games. He urged participation in the Fit India Movement and highlighted cycling's benefits for health and environment, as India prepared to compete in a scaled-down CWG focusing on boxing, weightlifting, and athletics.
Indian para-swimmer Karthik Budigina finished a commendable fourth in the men's 100m Freestyle S13 final at the Commonwealth Games, narrowly missing a medal. Meanwhile, Olympian Srihari Nataraj failed to qualify for the men's 50m backstroke final, finishing seventh in his semifinal heat. Another Indian para-swimmer, Imam Ali, placed seventh in his final.
India's top athletes are ready for the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. Here is the complete schedule, key events and timings for the Indian contingent.
Gulveer Singh, the reigning Asian champion and national record holder, failed to meet the Asian Games qualifying standard in the men's 5000m race at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured India's first women's doubles medal at the Badminton World Championships in 15 years after defeating China's Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian in a thrilling quarter-final match.
Indian athletes have delivered a strong performance at the Commonwealth Games, with boxers securing at least nine bronze medals by advancing to the semifinals. In athletics, Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Singh Gill qualified for the shot put final, and Animesh Kujur reached the 200m semifinals. While weightlifting and mainstream swimming saw some setbacks, para swimmers also advanced.
Preeti Pawar, a 22-year-old Indian bantamweight boxer, has emerged as a promising talent, securing an Olympic quota and winning multiple international medals despite facing health setbacks. She is now focused on achieving gold at the Commonwealth Games and refining her skills for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, balancing her aggressive boxing style with calming hobbies like quilling and Mandala art.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) CEO Raghuram Iyer announced a massive nationwide talent hunt targeting children aged 5 to 15 to identify and nurture future athletes, aiming for 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics.
Young Indian cyclist Harshita Jakhar has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to participate in the Tour de France Femmes. The 19-year-old led a pack of international cyclists during a ceremonial start at Stage 2 of the prestigious race, an opportunity provided by the UCI World Cycling Talent programme. Jakhar, who aims for medals in future Asian Games, expressed her gratitude for the chance to ride in her dream event.
Star Indian high jumper Sarvesh Kushare has set a new national record by clearing 2.31m at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar, becoming the first Indian to breach the 2.30m mark.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and badminton legend Pullela Gopichand have launched the Indian School of Coaching Excellence (ISCE), an initiative designed to strengthen India's sports coaching landscape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA leaders reviewed India's progress in international sports and significant growth in youth employment opportunities at their weekly parliamentary meeting.
Seventeen Indian sportspersons, including World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand, have been named for the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted India's growing global sporting stature, evidenced by the increasing number of international events the country is hosting. He announced that India is set to host 36 international events between January 2025 and June 2026, along with 9 events this year and 19 in 2027-2028. Mandaviya also spoke about government support for athletes, transparent selection processes for major events like the Commonwealth Games, and improved domestic athletic performances, citing 26 national records broken in Indian athletics recently.
Ayush Shetty's impressive run at the World Championships ended in the pre-quarterfinals against Alwi Farhan, concluding India's men's singles challenge. Meanwhile, the women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals with a dominant win, continuing their strong comeback after Treesa's injury.
The 65th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament commenced in New Delhi, featuring a junior girls' match where Meghalaya defeated Chandigarh 2-0. The opening ceremony included vibrant performances and an address by Air Marshal S Sivakumar, highlighting the tournament's role in promoting young talent.
'Being World No. 2 will give us good confidence when we compete at the Asian Games.'
India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the Lausanne Diamond League with an impressive throw of 88.05m, narrowly missing the top spot to Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu commenced her 2026 Badminton World Championships journey with a commanding straight-game victory over Sophia Noble in New Delhi.
Former Asian Games gold medallist Ronjan Sodhi believes India's ambitious target of 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics is a 'distant prospect', citing significant delays in talent identification, scouting, and critical infrastructure improvements.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured continued government support to trap shooter Neeru Dhanda and pistol ace Esha Singh, who recently achieved historic gold medals at ISSF World Cups. Mandaviya highlighted shooting as a priority sport for India, with significant investment in athlete development programs like TOPS and Khelo India, aiming for future Olympic and Commonwealth Games success.
India's first Olympic boxing medallist, Vijender Singh, expresses deep concern over the future of male pugilists, citing a lack of competitions and a selection system he claims promotes 'sycophancy'. He argues that women boxers are currently outperforming men and are brighter medal prospects for the 2028 Olympics. Singh is highly critical of the new grading system, advocating for a return to the traditional trials-based selection process.
Neeraj Chopra has been included in India's 32-member Commonwealth Games athletics squad, subject to achieving the AFI qualification mark after recovering from a back injury. The Olympic champion is expected to return to competition within days.
Indian table tennis star Manika Batra has threatened legal action against the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) if she is not provided a 'factual explanation' for her omission from the Asian Games squad.
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finished fourth in the Doha Diamond League with a throw of 85.69m, marking his return to competition after multiple injuries. Despite not winning, Chopra expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating he focused on reaching the competition stage without extra pressure. He confirmed his participation in the upcoming Commonwealth Games and discussed his recovery process and the growing competition in South Asian javelin.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu commenced her campaign at the BWF World Championships with a dominant victory over Ireland's Sophia Noble. Sindhu, a five-time World Championships medallist, is aiming for a historic sixth medal at the event. Other Indian pairs, including Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Hariharan Amsakarunan-MR Arjun, also advanced.
The eighth edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games will be held in Malta and Gozo from October 29 to November 4, 2025, featuring eight sports and a record-breaking para sport programme.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has lauded PV Sindhu's significantly improved attacking game, stating that her Japan Open Super 750 victory demonstrates her enduring championship quality and potential for more titles, despite recent injury challenges.
Indian rugby player Sumit Kumar Roy highlights the critical role of international exposure and the Rugby Premier League in the team's recent success, including a silver medal in Asia's top rugby sevens competition. The team aims for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics, learning from global players and focusing on discipline. Uruguay's Diego Ardao also emphasizes the need for skilled coaches and dedicated players to develop the sport in India, acknowledging the nation's vast potential despite the long road ahead for Olympic aspirations.
