PCI sends off 28-member para contingent for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
Synopsis
India's 28-member para contingent, the largest and most diverse the country has fielded at a Commonwealth Games, departs for Glasgow 2026 with a single goal: surpass the seven-medal total accumulated across all previous editions since 2002. With a new PCI chairperson at the helm and M3M Foundation backing athlete development, this campaign doubles as a statement of intent for India's 2036 Paralympic ambitions.
Key Takeaways
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) held a send-off ceremony in New Delhi on 20 July for India's 28-member para contingent for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games .
The contingent competes across five disciplines : para athletics ( 11 ), para powerlifting ( 7 ), para swimming ( 5 ), para track cycling ( 1 ), and women's wheelchair basketball 3x3 ( 4 ).
India has won 7 medals in para sport at the Commonwealth Games since its debut in 2002 — 1 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze — a tally the team aims to surpass in Glasgow.
Payal Kanodia presided over the event as the newly appointed Chairperson of PCI , marking her first official engagement in the role.
The PCI– M3M Foundation partnership will focus on athlete development, coaching, sports science, and para-friendly infrastructure, including in rural India.
Devendra Jhajharia , PCI President, and Gaurav Gautam , Haryana Sports Minister, were among the dignitaries at the ceremony.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) on Monday, 20 July hosted a formal send-off ceremony in New Delhi for the 28-member Indian para contingent heading to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the team targeting its best-ever para medal haul at the quadrennial multi-sport event. The athletes form part of the broader Indian Olympic Association (IOA) delegation, which includes both able-bodied and para competitors.
A Historic First for New PCI Leadership
The send-off doubled as the first official public event under Dr. Payal Kanodia, newly appointed Chairperson of the Paralympic Committee of India and also Chairperson of M3M Foundation. Dr. Kanodia reaffirmed PCI's commitment to deepening India's para sports ecosystem and expanding access for athletes at every level, including in rural areas.
The ceremony was attended by Gaurav Gautam, Sports Minister of the Government of Haryana; Devendra Jhajharia, President of the Paralympic Committee of India; federation presidents including J.P. Singh (Para Powerlifting Federation of India), Virender Dabbas (Para Swimming Federation of India), and J.P. Nautiyal (Para Shooting Federation of India); along with coaches, support staff, and all 28 para athletes selected for Glasgow.
Five Disciplines, One Ambition
India's para contingent will compete across five disciplines: para athletics (11 athletes), para powerlifting (7), para swimming (5), para track cycling (1), and women's wheelchair basketball (3x3) (4). The spread reflects the growing breadth of Indian para sport, which has expanded significantly beyond track and field over the past decade.
Notably, the inclusion of women's wheelchair basketball (3x3) signals India's ambitions in team para sports — a relatively newer frontier at the Commonwealth Games level.
India's Commonwealth Games Para Record
Since its Commonwealth Games para sports debut in 2002, India has accumulated seven medals in total — one gold, two silver, and four bronze. The PCI has set surpassing that cumulative tally as the benchmark for Glasgow, a target that would represent a step-change in performance rather than incremental improvement.
This comes amid a broader surge in Indian para sport, with athletes delivering landmark results at the Paralympic Games, Asian Para Games, and World Championships in recent cycles.
What the Leadership Said
Dr. Kanodia said at the ceremony: 'It is a privilege to begin my journey as Chairperson of the Paralympic Committee of India by celebrating the remarkable athletes who will proudly represent our nation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Their determination, resilience and unwavering spirit inspire millions across the country... Our vision goes beyond supporting athletes at competitions, we want to contribute to the development of accessible, para-friendly sports infrastructure across the country, including in rural India, so that every aspiring para athlete has the opportunity to train and compete without barriers.'
She added that the PCI and M3M Foundation would invest in coach development, classifier development, sports science, and mental conditioning, with an eye on positioning India to host more international para sporting events and build a legacy ahead of the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Devendra Jhajharia, PCI President, said: 'Every athlete in this contingent has earned the honour of wearing the Indian jersey through years of hard work, sacrifice and perseverance. They carry not just their own dreams but the aspirations of an entire nation. We are confident this talented contingent will rise to the occasion in Glasgow.'
The Full Para Contingent for Glasgow 2026
The para athletics squad includes Devender Kumar, Dilip Mahadu Gavit, Rakeshbhai Bhatt, Ramesh Shanmugam, Shubham Juyal, Mohammed Basil, Soman Rana, Sagar Thayat, Shreyansh Trivedi, Sharmila, and Shilpa K.S. The para powerlifting team comprises Parmjeet Kumar, Ashok, Jhandu Kumar, Sudhir, Jaspreet Kaur, Kasthuri Rajamani, and Suman Devi. Para swimming is represented by Ravi Veera Venkata Budigina, Ali Imam, Suyash Jadhav, Chaitanya Vishwas Kulkarni, and Swatik Patil. Lisha Da will compete in para track cycling, while the women's wheelchair basketball (3x3) squad features Ritu Chanu Irengbam, Reena Rameshchandra Gupta, Minakshi Harichandra Jadhav, and Laxmi Rayappa Rayannavar.
With the contingent now set to depart for Glasgow, all eyes will be on whether India can translate its recent international para sports momentum into a record Commonwealth Games medal performance.
Point of View
And the PCI's optimism will need to be matched by podium results. The new PCI chairperson's emphasis on rural infrastructure and classifier development is the right long-term framing, but those gains won't show up in Glasgow 2026 — they are bets on 2030 and 2036. The partnership with M3M Foundation also raises questions about the balance between corporate-backed elite development and grassroots reach that the PCI says it wants. India's para sport credibility was built on individual brilliance; sustaining it requires systemic investment that outlasts any single sponsorship cycle.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Indian para athletes are competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games?
India is sending a 28-member para contingent to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, competing across five disciplines: para athletics, para powerlifting, para swimming, para track cycling, and women's wheelchair basketball (3x3). They form part of the larger Indian Olympic Association delegation.
What is India's para medal record at the Commonwealth Games?
Since making its Commonwealth Games para sports debut in 2002, India has won seven medals in total — one gold, two silver, and four bronze. The PCI has set surpassing this cumulative tally as the team's target for Glasgow 2026.
Who is the new Chairperson of the Paralympic Committee of India?
Dr. Payal Kanodia was recently appointed as Chairperson of the Paralympic Committee of India. The Glasgow 2026 send-off ceremony on 20 July was her first official public engagement in the role. She also serves as Chairperson of M3M Foundation.
Which disciplines will India's para contingent compete in at Glasgow 2026?
India's para athletes will compete in para athletics (11 athletes), para powerlifting (7), para swimming (5), para track cycling (1), and women's wheelchair basketball 3x3 (4). The five-discipline spread is among the broadest India has fielded at a Commonwealth Games in para sport.
What is the PCI–M3M Foundation partnership aimed at?
The Paralympic Committee of India and M3M Foundation have partnered to strengthen India's para sports ecosystem through athlete development, coaching programmes, classifier development, sports science support, and building accessible para-friendly infrastructure — including in rural India — with a long-term view toward the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
