CWG 2022: India's overall performance improved in Commonwealth Games: Anurag Thakur

Bengaluru, Aug 9: With the Indian contingent returning from Birmingham with 61 medals in their kitty, Union Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said the country's overall performance has improved in Commonwealth Games and "we are heading towards a new India."

Thakur said this while interacting with the volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra Saghthan (NYKS) and the National Service Scheme (NSS) at Peterhoff here as a part of 'Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan'.

A youth conference and dialogue program was organised by the NYKS, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Union Minister said, "India is performing well in the Commonwealth Games. We have done well in weight lifting to athletics and our overall performance has improved and India has won 61 medals and we also dominated Kenya in running events."

He went on to add, “India is growing stronger and better”.

India finished with 61 medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, five less than their tally four years ago at Gold Coast. Thakur, also the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, interacted openly with the youth and got to know the views one by one from the volunteers of NYKS and the NSS and members of various youth circles.

He said India is celebrating 75 years of its independence and the country is in celebration mode. He said all the citizens should come forward and put national flags on their houses from August 13 to 15. Earlier on his arrival, Union minister Thakur received a warm welcome in Shimla.

With 61 medals from this edition, India couldn’t surpass their medal tally from Gold Coast Games. But India’s show in Birmingham has been excellent, considering Shooting was not included in this edition.

India finished the last day on an absolute medal rush by securing 4 Gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze. India's best being a total of 101 medals when the games were held at home in 2010.

While, the men’s Hockey team could only settle for a Silver as they were drowned by Australia 7–0 in the gold medal match, the Indian shuttlers were outstanding throughout the games as they secured 6 (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze) medals in the 6 categories with only Mixed Doubles missing out.

While the wrestling, weightlifting and boxing contingent did not disappoint, India was in for a lot of surprise at the Games as well, with lawn bowls, athletics bagging medals, along with a decent showing from table tennis, squash. While the Indian women’s cricket team lost to Australia in the final to settle for silver, the women’s hockey team clinched a historic bronze as the Indian contingent returned home on the back of a successful Games.

Source: With inputs from PTI