PM Modi Meets Commonwealth Games 2026 Medalists, Praises Lovlina Borgohain & Mirabai Chanu

New Delhi, August 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Commonwealth Games 2026 medalists at his residence in New Delhi, hearing stories of triumph, perseverance and memorable moments from India’s successful campaign. During the interaction, boxer Lovlina Borgohain received praise for objecting to a distorted Indian flag, while weightlifting champion Mirabai Chanu opened up about the difficult four years she endured before returning to the top of the podium.

Modi met the athletes on Sunday in the presence of Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse and Indian Olympic Association President P T Usha. India won 39 medals at the truncated Commonwealth Games, including 13 gold medals, with seven of those golds coming in boxing.

During his interaction with Lovlina, who won silver in the women’s 75kg category, Modi recalled the incident involving the distorted Indian flag. “Kya hua wo restaurant waale se jhagda kar rahi thi?” Modi asked Lovlina, referring to the incident in which she objected to the display.

Lovlina explained that she had raised the issue despite being in a celebratory mood after India’s strong campaign.

“We had such a good performance, and it was the last day of the Games. It was a happy occasion, sir; we were celebrating, and I didn’t like it when I saw the distorted flag. I politely told them, and they made the changes also,” she said. Modi praised the boxer for recognising the significance of the national flag even while celebrating her medal.

“To be able to recognise the significance of that map at a time when you were celebrating, and the Games were over, I can tell you truthfully that video was not ordinary. It will be remembered by people for a very long time,” he told Lovlina.

The Prime Minister also shared an emotional exchange with Mirabai Chanu, who won gold in the women’s 48kg category with a Games-record lift of 190kg. Asked about her tears on the podium, Mirabai revealed that the moment represented the release of emotions she had carried for years.

“I was very happy and emotional in that moment. I was crying because I missed a medal in the Paris Olympics by one kilogram. I had faced a lot in these last four years. I was battling injuries and some family problems too,” Mirabai said. “There were a lot of things. So, these four years were very tough for me. And when I stood on the podium, our flag went up, and the anthem played, it was hard to stop myself,” she added.

The interaction also had its lighter moments. Boxer Narender Berwal, who won gold in the +90kg category, recalled a humorous exchange with a Pakistani boxer after defeating him at the 2015 World Military Games.

“During the 2015 World Military Games, I had a bout with a Pakistani boxer. I won it, but when we were together in the medical room for treatment to our niggles, he said to me, ‘Bhaijan aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narender hai, mujhe Narender naam se nafrat ho gayi hai.'”

The anecdote drew laughter from Modi, adding a lighter touch to the interaction.
On a more serious note, the Prime Minister highlighted the wider impact of India’s athletes and their achievements. He said their performances could inspire young people to take up sport and dream of representing the country.

“I have been in this house for 12-13 years now, ow and if there is one group that I have met regularly here, it is the athletes because of your efforts to win medals for India and your tradition of scaling new heights,” Modi said.

“Far more than our push to promote sports in schools, it is your medals that inspire people,” he added.

The interaction brought together stories of sporting success, personal struggles and moments of national pride, with Modi acknowledging the athletes’ contribution to India’s growing sporting culture.