Indian weightlifter Raja Muthupandi dedicated his Commonwealth Games 2026 silver medal to his parents and coach Vijay Sharma, while admitting he was disappointed after falling short of the gold in the men’s 65kg event in Glasgow on Sunday.
“I am certainly disappointed because my coach had placed his trust in me, believing we would put in the full effort to win gold. However, I didn’t perform well. I dedicate this win to my parents and my coach, Vijay Sharma. I will focus on the lessons learned here and concentrate on my training. I will train according to my coach’s instructions and work hard moving forward,” Raja said.
India’s #RajaMuthupandi produced a remarkable comeback to clinch the silver medal in the men’s 65kg #weightlifting event at the #CWG2026, adding another medal to the country’s impressive tally in Glasgow. Although disappointed at missing out on gold, Raja dedicated his silver to… pic.twitter.com/LTwifh7D5x
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) July 27, 2026
The 26-year-old registered a combined lift of 286kg, comprising 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk, to finish second on the podium and hand India its third medal of the day.
Malaysia’s Aznil Bin Bidin Muhamed won the gold with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, securing his third consecutive Commonwealth Games title after triumphs at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
The silver completed a remarkable comeback for Raja, whose career was threatened by a serious elbow ligament injury in 2019. His rehabilitation was further delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, while the emergence of Jeremy Lalrinnunga in the higher weight category kept him out of India’s squad for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Raja returned to the national setup after the introduction of the 65kg category and rebuilt his career with consistent performances, including a ninth-place finish at the 2025 World Championships, where he recorded a personal-best total of 299kg.
His silver added to India’s successful day in weightlifting after Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu won her third successive Commonwealth Games gold in the women’s 48kg category, while Rishikanta Singh claimed silver in the men’s 60kg event.
Elsewhere, India’s boxing campaign suffered its first setback as Aditya Pratap Yadav exited the men’s competition following a narrow 3-2 split-decision defeat to Uganda’s Nuhu Batte in the pre-quarterfinals.