India's Commonwealth Games 2026 Funding Explained: How TOPS Backed the Medal Winners

India signed off from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with 39 medals, finishing fourth in the standings despite competing without several of its traditionally strongest sports.

The Indian contingent returned home with 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze medals, according to a TOI report, trailing only Australia, England and Canada in the final medal table.

While the overall tally was 22 fewer than the 61 medals won in Birmingham four years ago, the absence of shooting, wrestling, badminton, table tennis and hockey significantly altered the competitive landscape.

Boxing and athletics lead India's medal haul

Boxing and athletics emerged as India's most successful disciplines, contributing 10 medals each.

Weightlifting added eight medals, while para-athletics produced six as India continued to find success across multiple sports despite the reduced programme.

The smaller medal tally compared to previous editions reflected the exclusion of several events that have historically accounted for a significant share of India's Commonwealth Games success.

Gulveer Singh creates Indian athletics history

Among India's standout performers was long-distance runner Gulveer Singh, who became the country's only multiple medallist at the Games.

The 28-year-old won silver in the 10,000m before adding bronze in the 5,000m, becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games.

Gulveer has steadily established himself as one of India's leading distance runners over the past three years.

The Aligarh-born athlete announced himself internationally with bronze in the 5,000m at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships before repeating the feat at the delayed 2022 Asian Games.

He now holds the national records in the 5,000m, 10,000m, one mile and half marathon.

Much of his preparation takes place at the high-performance centre in Colorado Springs, USA, where he trains as part of India's long-term Olympic programme.

Government investment behind India's medallists

India's Commonwealth Games campaign was also supported by significant government funding through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC).

According to official figures, medallists collectively received more than ₹1.66 crore through TOPS, with additional support provided under ACTC.

Among the notable beneficiaries were:

• Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)
• Asmita Dey (Judo)
• Harsh Singh (Judo)
• Preeti Panwar (Boxing)
• Jaismine Lamboria (Boxing)
• Sharmila Dhankar (Athletics)
• Dilip Gavit (Athletics)
• Soman Rana (Athletics)
• Sakshi Chaudhary (Boxing)
• Priya Ghanghas (Boxing)
• Arundhati Choudhary (Boxing)
• Sachin Siwach (Boxing)
• Ankush Panghal (Boxing)

Several athletes also received funding through previous Olympic cycles, including Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 and the ongoing Los Angeles 2028 programme.

Focus shifts to Ahmedabad 2030

Although India's overall medal count dipped from Birmingham, the context of Glasgow's reduced sports programme paints a different picture.

With several medal-rich disciplines absent, India still secured a top-four finish and unearthed new stars across athletics, boxing and judo.

Attention will now turn towards the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, where the return of sports such as shooting and wrestling could significantly boost India's medal prospects as the country prepares to host the centenary edition of the Games.