Rajnath Singh hails Gulveer Singh's historic CWG double
Synopsis
Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh has become the first Indian athlete to win medals in both the Men's 5,000m and 10,000m at a single Commonwealth Games edition. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the feat as historic and a source of inspiration for young Indian athletes.
Key Takeaways
Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh won the bronze medal in the Men's 5,000m at the 2026 Commonwealth Games .
He is the first Indian athlete to win medals in both the Men's 5,000m and Men's 10,000m at a single Commonwealth Games edition.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated him on 2 August 2026 , calling it a historic moment for Indian athletics.
Gulveer Singh serves as a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army , continuing a tradition of armed forces athletes excelling in track and field.
Rajnath Singh expressed hope the achievement would inspire young athletes to pursue excellence with 'dedication and perseverance.'
A soldier crossed two finish lines at the Commonwealth Games — and rewrote Indian athletics history in the process. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, 2 August 2026, congratulated Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh on winning the bronze medal in the Men's 5,000m event, calling it a historic moment for Indian athletics.
The achievement is unprecedented: Gulveer Singh has become the first Indian athlete to win medals in both the Men's 5,000m and Men's 10,000m events at a single edition of the Commonwealth Games — a double that no Indian long-distance runner had managed before him.
The soldier who runs for India
Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh serves in the Indian Army, where military personnel have long combined active service with elite-level athletic competition. The armed forces have been a consistent pipeline for Indian track and field talent, providing structured training and competitive exposure that civilian infrastructure has not always matched.
Winning medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the same Games edition demands a rare combination of speed, endurance, and tactical racing across two gruelling distances. That Gulveer Singh delivered on both fronts in a single Commonwealth Games cycle sets a new benchmark for Indian distance running.
Rajnath Singh's message to young athletes
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh — himself a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Union Home Minister — framed the achievement as more than a medal haul. 'This remarkable feat will inspire countless young athletes to pursue excellence with dedication and perseverance,' he wrote, offering his 'heartiest congratulations' and wishing Gulveer Singh 'continued success and many more laurels for the nation.'
The message carries particular weight coming from the minister who oversees the very institution — the Indian Army — that Gulveer Singh serves and trains under.
A Naib Subedar brought home two medals. The barracks and the track rarely share a headline this bright.
Point of View
The congratulatory post is also a subtle endorsement of military sports programmes at a moment when India is pushing hard to improve its global athletics standing. The 5,000m-10,000m double at a single Games edition raises the bar for what Indian distance running can aspire to, and will likely intensify calls for dedicated long-distance training corridors. Politically, celebrating an Army athlete allows the Defence Minister to weave national pride, institutional credibility, and sporting achievement into a single, resonant moment.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gulveer Singh and what did he win at the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh is an Indian Army long-distance runner who won the bronze medal in the Men's 5,000m event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games , adding to a medal he also claimed in the Men's 10,000m at the same edition.
What historic record did Gulveer Singh set at the Commonwealth Games?
Gulveer Singh became the first Indian athlete to win medals in both the Men's 5,000m and Men's 10,000m at a single edition of the Commonwealth Games — an unprecedented double in Indian athletics history.
Why did Rajnath Singh congratulate Gulveer Singh?
As Union Defence Minister , Rajnath Singh oversees the Indian Army, in which Gulveer Singh serves as a Naib Subedar . He congratulated the athlete on 2 August 2026 , calling the feat historic and a source of inspiration for young Indians.
What rank is Naib Subedar in the Indian Army?
Naib Subedar is a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) rank in the Indian Army, sitting above the non-commissioned ranks and below a full commissioned officer, reflecting significant seniority and experience within the service.
How has the Indian Army contributed to Indian athletics?
The Indian Army has long provided structured training, competition exposure, and institutional support for athletes across track and field disciplines. Armed forces athletes have regularly represented India at the Commonwealth Games and other international meets, often outperforming their civilian counterparts in endurance events.
