Giriraj Singh hails India's first Judo gold at CWG 2026
Synopsis
Judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh made history at CWG 2026 by winning India's first-ever Judo gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh celebrated the landmark achievement on X, as Yamini Mourya also added to India's Judo medal tally on a landmark day for the sport.
Key Takeaways
Asmita Dey and Harsh won India's first-ever Judo gold medals at the Commonwealth Games.
The historic wins came at CWG 2026 on August 1, 2026 .
Yamini Mourya also won a medal for India in Judo at the same Games.
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh shared the achievement on X, calling it 'history made.' India has competed in Judo at the Commonwealth Games for years without previously reaching the top of the podium.
India wrote a new chapter in its Commonwealth Games history on Saturday, August 1, 2026, as judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh delivered the country's first-ever Judo gold medals at the Games — a milestone that drew an immediate salute from Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh.
Sharing the news on X, the senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP from Begusarai, Bihar, wrote: 'Asmita De aur Harsh ne racha itihas, Bharat ko Judo mein CWG ka pehla swarn padak' — 'Asmita Dey and Harsh have made history, India wins its first Judo gold at the CWG.'
A first that has been decades in the making
India has competed in Judo at the Commonwealth Games for years without reaching the top of the podium in the sport. The twin gold medals by Dey and Harsh at CWG 2026 end that wait and mark the sport's highest achievement for India at the quadrennial multi-sport event contested by athletes from Commonwealth nations.
Judo has been among the disciplines receiving incremental support through national training programmes and international exposure in recent years, and Saturday's result is the clearest payoff yet of that sustained investment in the mat.
Also on the podium: Yamini Mourya
The Judo haul did not stop at gold. Yamini Mourya also featured among India's medal winners on the day, adding further depth to a strong showing by the country's Judo contingent at these Games.
For a sport that has long operated in the shadow of India's more celebrated Olympic disciplines, a multi-medal day at the Commonwealth Games — headlined by two historic golds — signals a generational shift in competitive depth.
Point of View
Ministers amplifying such milestones on social media serves a dual purpose: it projects a government attentive to sporting achievement beyond cricket, and it builds a narrative of national progress under the current dispensation. The fact that a senior minister like Giriraj Singh — whose portfolio is Textiles, not Sports — chose to celebrate the moment underscores how deeply sporting nationalism has become a cross-portfolio political currency. Whether this translates into sustained structural support for Judo infrastructure and athlete welfare will be the real test.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won India's first Judo gold at Commonwealth Games 2026?
Asmita Dey and Harsh won India's first-ever Judo gold medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026, making history for Indian Judo.
What did Giriraj Singh say about India's CWG 2026 Judo gold?
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh posted on X calling it history-making, saying 'Asmita Dey and Harsh have made history, India wins its first Judo gold at the CWG.'
Has India ever won a Judo gold at the Commonwealth Games before?
No. The gold medals won by Asmita Dey and Harsh at CWG 2026 are India's first-ever Judo gold medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Who is Yamini Mourya in CWG 2026?
Yamini Mourya is an Indian judoka who also won a medal for India at CWG 2026, contributing to the country's strong Judo showing at the Games.
When did India win its first Judo gold at CWG 2026?
India's historic first Judo gold medals at the Commonwealth Games were won on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
