Sharmila Dhankar wins para-athletics CWG gold, ends India's 20-year wait
Synopsis
Sharmila Dhankar's 9.81m throw in Glasgow did what no Indian para-athlete had managed in 20 years — win a Commonwealth Games gold. Shilpa Shyla's bronze in the same event made it a historic double podium, while weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu set a CWG snatch record. India's para-sport moment at Glasgow 2026 is bigger than the medals alone.
Key Takeaways
Sharmila Dhankar won gold in the women's shot put F57 at CWG 2026 with a season-best 9.81m throw on 28 July .
She is India's first-ever Commonwealth Games para-athletics gold medallist , ending a 20-year wait .
Shilpa Shyla claimed bronze in the same event after a protest review, giving India a historic double podium in a single para-athletics discipline.
Sarvesh Kushare won silver in the men's high jump , clearing 2.25m at Glasgow 2026 .
Valluri Ajaya Babu won silver in the men's 79kg weightlifting final and set a CWG record in the snatch .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally congratulated all medallists in posts on X .
Sharmila Dhankar scripted history at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on 28 July, claiming gold in the women's shot put F57 event with a season-best throw of 9.81m — making her India's first-ever Commonwealth Games para-athletics gold medallist. The victory ended a 20-year wait for a para-athletics gold at the Games, drawing immediate recognition from the highest office in the country.
PM Modi's Tribute on X
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dhankar in a post on X, writing: 'History has been created in Glasgow! Congratulations to Sharmila for a very special Gold in the Women's Shot Put F57 event and also for a season-best throw. This remarkable performance ends a two-decade-long wait for para-athletics gold at the Commonwealth Games. My best wishes for the endeavours ahead.'
India's Historic Double Podium in Shot Put F57
The celebrations did not stop at gold. Shot putter Shilpa Shyla secured a dramatic bronze in the same event after a successful post-match protest and review stripped Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi of her valid mark. Shyla's personal-best effort of 7.26m was enough to clinch the bronze, giving India a double podium finish — the first time the country has won two medals in the same para-athletics event at the Commonwealth Games.
Sarvesh Kushare Claims Silver in Men's High Jump
Sarvesh Kushare added to India's tally with a silver medal in the men's high jump, clearing 2.25m before three unsuccessful attempts at 2.28m saw him settle for second place. Jamaica's Romaine Beckford claimed gold on countback. Modi praised Kushare on X, saying: 'A spectacular silver for Sarvesh Kushare in men's high jump at #CWG2026! His determination and consistency have been noteworthy. Congratulations to him on this outstanding achievement. India is proud of him.'
Weightlifting Adds to Medal Haul
India's weightlifters continued their rich run at the Games. Gyaneshwari Yadav won silver in the women's 53kg final, while Bindyarani Devi secured bronze in the women's 58kg event. Valluri Ajaya Babu claimed silver in the men's 79kg final and also set a CWG record in the snatch event. Modi singled out Babu for special praise, writing: 'More glory for India in weightlifting! Delighted that Valluri Ajaya Babu brings home the silver medal in the men's 79 kg category at the Glasgow Games. He has also etched his name in the record books by setting a CWG record in the snatch event.'
What This Means for Indian Para-Sport
Dhankar's gold is not merely a podium result — it marks a structural shift in India's para-athletics standing at multi-sport events. With a double podium in a single para-athletics discipline and the Prime Minister publicly amplifying the achievement, the moment signals growing institutional and public recognition for para-sport in India. The Glasgow Games could prove a turning point for how the country invests in and celebrates athletes with disabilities on the global stage.
Point of View
But the more telling detail is the double podium — India has never before placed two athletes on the same para-athletics podium at the Commonwealth Games. That is a depth signal, not just a peak result. Yet para-athletics still operates on the margins of India's sports funding architecture; the Glasgow haul should prompt a serious conversation about whether the infrastructure that produced these results is sustainable or accidental. Modi's X posts are welcome, but recognition needs to translate into budget lines, not just congratulatory messages.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sharmila Dhankar and what did she win at CWG 2026?
Sharmila Dhankar is an Indian para-athlete who won the gold medal in the women's shot put F57 event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, with a season-best throw of 9.81m. She became India's first-ever Commonwealth Games para-athletics gold medallist, ending a 20-year wait.
What is the significance of India's double podium in the shot put F57 event?
It is the first time India has won two medals in the same para-athletics event at the Commonwealth Games. Shilpa Shyla's bronze, secured after a post-match protest review, joined Sharmila Dhankar's gold to produce the historic double podium finish.
How did Shilpa Shyla win her bronze medal at CWG 2026?
Shilpa Shyla claimed bronze in the women's shot put F57 event after a successful post-match protest and review stripped Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi of her valid mark. Shyla's personal-best throw of 7.26m was then enough to secure the medal.
What did Valluri Ajaya Babu achieve at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games?
Valluri Ajaya Babu won silver in the men's 79kg weightlifting final and set a CWG record in the snatch event at Glasgow 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi specifically praised him for etching his name in the record books.
Why did PM Modi congratulate India's CWG 2026 athletes on X?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted tributes on X to Sharmila Dhankar, Sarvesh Kushare, and Valluri Ajaya Babu following their medal-winning performances at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, calling Dhankar's achievement the end of a 'two-decade-long wait' for para-athletics gold.
