NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday interacted with India’s Commonwealth Games 2026 medal winners at his residence and praised the athletes for their dedication, hard work and contribution towards bringing glory to the nation.
During the interaction, PM Modi said athletes have been among the most frequent visitors to his residence and appreciated their consistent efforts over the years to achieve success for India.
“I have been in this house for about 12 to 13 years now. If there is anyone I have received regularly and every single time, it is the athletes. Because of your hard work over the last 10 to 12 years, your constant efforts to bring victory to India, and the tradition of scaling new heights of success,” PM Modi said in a video posted on his YouTube handle on Monday.
The Prime Minister highlighted the impact of athletes’ achievements in motivating young people to take up sports, saying their medals inspire more than just words.
“The impact we could try to make by going to schools and telling them ‘you should play,’ your medals inspire them far more than any words ever could,” he added.
PM Modi also interacted with individual athletes during the meeting. Speaking to women’s shot put F57 gold medallist Sharmila Dhankar, he recalled her earlier promise that her two daughters would also become athletes.
“You promised me last time that your two daughters would become athletes,” PM Modi said.
Responding to him, Sharmila said, “Yes, they are still young. In the next Commonwealth Games, we will show you three medals coming from one home.”
The Prime Minister also shared a light moment with women’s discus throw bronze medallist Seema Kaliramna, who said she was nervous while meeting him.
“My heart is racing, sir,” Seema told PM Modi.
“Don’t worry. You’re going to get a medal for your speech too!” PM Modi replied.
Seema later shared her excitement about meeting the Prime Minister and said her friends often asked her in Haryanvi if she would get an opportunity to meet him.
“My friends used to ask me, in Haryanvi, they’d say, ‘Have you met PM Modi that we should listen to you?’ Today, I have met you, sir, and now I can tell them, ‘Yes, I have met Modi-ji,'” she said.
PM Modi further stressed that building a sports culture was essential for India to achieve greater success at the international level.
“Sports infrastructure is one part of it, but a country wins medals when a ‘sports culture’ is built. Friends, you have done a great job and brought glory to the nation. I congratulate you all,” he said.
Expressing confidence in their future performances, PM Modi said the athletes would continue to achieve success and hoped to meet them again after more victories.
“Believe me, you will be victorious in the future as well, and we will meet here once again. Thank you very much and best wishes,” he said.
India ended its Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow with 39 medals, including 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze, to finish fourth in the overall medal standings.
