CM Bhajan Lal hails Praveen, Selva Prabhu on CWG 2026 medals
Synopsis
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma congratulated Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu after they claimed silver and bronze in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, calling the double-medal finish a mark of India's rising global athletics stature.
Key Takeaways
Praveen Chithravel won the silver medal in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games .
Selva Prabhu claimed the bronze medal in the same event, giving India two podium finishes.
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma publicly congratulated both athletes on 1 August 2026 .
Sharma called the performance a symbol of India's 'growing global recognition, talent, and capability in athletics.' India's athletics momentum builds on the Khelo India programme launched in 2017 and multiple medals at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games .
Two Indian athletes stepped onto the Commonwealth Games podium in the men's triple jump on Saturday, 1 August 2026 — and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was quick to mark the moment, congratulating Praveen Chithravel (silver) and Selva Prabhu (bronze) for a double-medal haul that signals India's deepening footprint in track and field.
Sharma wrote on X: 'Rashtriya mandal khel 2026 ki purush triple jump spardha mein rajat padak jeetne wale Praveen Chithravel evam kansya padak apne naam karne wale Selva Prabhu ko hardik badhai!' — ('Heartfelt congratulations to Praveen Chithravel, who won the silver medal, and Selva Prabhu, who claimed the bronze, in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games!'). He called their performance a reflection of 'India's growing global recognition, talent, and capability in athletics.'
Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu on the CWG podium
Praveen Chithravel has been one of India's most consistent horizontal jumpers on the international circuit, and a silver at the Commonwealth Games represents a career-defining result. Selva Prabhu's bronze alongside him means India occupied two of the three places on the men's triple jump podium — a rare feat in any athletics discipline at a multi-sport Games.
The back-to-back medals in a single event underline a generational depth that Indian athletics has rarely shown in the jumps. Both athletes train within a system that has seen sustained central investment since the mid-2010s.
The Khelo India pipeline behind the medals
India's improving athletics medal count at Commonwealth Games did not happen by accident. The Khelo India programme, launched in 2017, was designed precisely to widen the talent funnel — identifying athletes early, funding their training, and connecting them to elite coaching. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Indian athletes returned with multiple athletics medals, and the 2026 edition appears to be extending that upward curve.
State governments have increasingly amplified these central schemes, and leaders like Sharma using their platforms to celebrate individual athletes keeps public attention on a sport that competes hard for visibility against cricket.
Point of View
Not just participation. For BJP-governed states like Rajasthan, amplifying such moments serves a dual purpose — associating the party with national sporting pride while keeping Khelo India's grassroots pipeline in the public eye. The broader arc here is India's deliberate move from a cricket-dominant sports culture toward competitive multi-discipline athletics, a shift that successive governments have invested in since the mid-2010s and that results like this begin to validate.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Praveen Chithravel?
Praveen Chithravel is an Indian triple jumper who has represented India in international athletics competitions and won the silver medal in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
What did India win in triple jump at CWG 2026?
India won two medals — Praveen Chithravel took silver and Selva Prabhu claimed bronze in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Why did Bhajan Lal Sharma congratulate Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu?
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma congratulated both athletes on their Commonwealth Games 2026 podium finishes, calling the double medal a reflection of India's growing global athletics recognition.
What is the Khelo India programme?
Khelo India is a central government scheme launched in 2017 to promote grassroots sports participation and identify athletic talent across India, contributing to improved medal counts at multi-sport events.
How has India performed in athletics at recent Commonwealth Games?
India secured multiple athletics medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the 2026 edition has continued that upward trend with a silver and bronze in the men's triple jump alone.
