Commonwealth Games: Origins, Purpose & India’s 122 Athletes
- Parikshit Khanna
- 7 days ago
- 10 min read
Commonwealth Games: How They Started, Why They Were Created and How Many Indians Qualified in 2026
The Commonwealth Games are one of the world’s most recognisable international multi-sport competitions. Athletes representing Commonwealth nations and territories compete in sports ranging from athletics, swimming and boxing to weightlifting, lawn bowls and integrated Para events.
The latest edition, Glasgow 2026, was held in Scotland from 23 July to 2 August 2026. India officially entered a 124-athlete contingent comprising 78 men and 46 women. India completed the Games in fourth position with 39 medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze.
How Many Indians Qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2026?
The official Government of India figure was:124 Indian athletes participated at Glasgow 2026, including 78 male and 46 female athletes.
The word “qualified” is often used broadly in public reporting. Technically, Commonwealth Games participation is determined through a combination of international qualification standards, Commonwealth rankings, federation quotas, national selection trials and nominations by the relevant national sports federations.
Therefore, it is more precise to say that 124 Indian athletes were officially selected and entered for Glasgow 2026.
This figure applies specifically to Glasgow 2026. Qualification for the Amdavad, or Ahmedabad, 2030 Commonwealth Games has not yet produced a final Indian athlete list.
Commonwealth Games 2026 at a Glance
Category | Glasgow 2026 details |
Host city | Glasgow, Scotland |
Dates | 23 July to 2 August 2026 |
Edition | 23rd Commonwealth Games |
Participating nations and territories | 74 |
Approximate athletes | More than 3,000 |
Sports programme | 10 sports |
Para programme | Six integrated Para sports |
Competition venues | Four |
Indian athletes | 124 |
India’s final position | Fourth |
India’s medals | 39 |
India’s gold medals | 13 |
Glasgow used a compact competition model involving four major venues situated within an eight-mile corridor. The programme included athletics and Para athletics, swimming and Para swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and Para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and Para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and Para bowls, and 3x3 basketball with wheelchair basketball.
When Did the Commonwealth Games Start?
The first official Commonwealth Games were held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, from 16 to 23 August 1930.
At that time, the event was called the British Empire Games. The inaugural edition brought together:
11 participating countries
400 athletes
59 events
Six sports
A limited women’s programme confined to swimming and diving
The six sports were athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming and diving, and wrestling.
The event began on a much smaller scale than the modern Commonwealth Games, but its central concept was already visible: athletes from different countries would meet through sport in an atmosphere designed to encourage friendship and mutual respect.
Who First Proposed the Commonwealth Games?
The origins of the Games developed over several decades.
In 1891, Reverend John Astley Cooper proposed a “Pan-Britannic Festival” involving sporting, cultural and other activities. He believed that such a gathering could strengthen goodwill and understanding among countries and territories then connected through the British Empire.
An Inter-Empire Championship was later staged during the 1911 Festival of Empire in London. Athletes representing Australasia, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom competed in athletics, boxing, swimming and wrestling. It is generally regarded as an early forerunner of the Commonwealth Games.
However, the person most directly responsible for turning the concept into a recurring international competition was Canadian sports journalist and administrator Melville Marks “Bobby” Robinson.
How Bobby Robinson Turned the Idea into Reality
Robinson attended the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics as the manager of the Canadian athletics team while also reporting for the Hamilton Spectator.
During the Olympics, he organised a meeting with sporting representatives from Australia, Great Britain, South Africa and New Zealand. Some officials were dissatisfied with aspects of Olympic administration, particularly the application of amateur eligibility regulations.
The representatives met again in London, where a Canadian proposal to organise the British Empire Games was formally accepted. Hamilton was subsequently selected as the first host city.
Robinson and the Hamilton organisers wanted the competition to follow the general multi-sport model of the Olympics while creating a friendlier and less severe atmosphere. Preparations moved quickly, with the final approval arriving only months before the opening ceremony.
Despite the economic difficulties caused by the 1929 financial crash, organisers helped visiting teams with travel arrangements and subsidies. On the opening day, more than 20,000 spectators reportedly gathered to welcome the athletes.
Why Were the Commonwealth Games Created?
The Commonwealth Games were created for several interconnected reasons.
1. To Strengthen Relationships Through Sport
The original organisers believed sport could build understanding among participating countries. Although the first event emerged from the historical context of the British Empire, the competition gradually changed with decolonisation and the development of the modern Commonwealth.
The contemporary Commonwealth is based on voluntary cooperation among independent and equal member countries. It is no longer defined solely by former imperial ties, and some recent members have no historical connection to the British Empire.
2. To Provide International Competition Beyond the Olympics
The Games gave athletes an additional high-level international platform. For many competitors, particularly athletes from smaller nations and territories, the Commonwealth Games became an important step between national championships, continental events, world championships and the Olympics.
Commonwealth Sport has described Glasgow 2026 as a major career platform for thousands of athletes, including established champions, emerging competitors and Para athletes.
3. To Create a Friendlier Sporting Environment
The event became widely known as the “Friendly Games.” Its identity emphasised sporting rivalry without losing sight of interaction among athletes from different cultures, regions and backgrounds.
The modern event remains highly competitive, but the original idea of friendship continues to influence ceremonies, athlete programmes, cultural events and the overall presentation of the Games.
4. To Give Nations and Territories Distinct Representation
The Commonwealth Games have a distinctive participation structure. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete as separate teams, as do several territories that do not enter the Olympic Games independently.
This gives athletes opportunities to represent their individual nations or territories in a major global multi-sport event.
5. To Integrate Para Sport
Para sport has become one of the most important features of the modern Commonwealth Games. Para athletes compete as members of the same national teams, and their medals are included in the main medal table.
Glasgow 2026 included six fully integrated Para sports and staged the largest integrated Para sport programme in Commonwealth Games history.
How the Name of the Commonwealth Games Changed
The event’s changing name reflects the political transformation from the British Empire to the modern Commonwealth.
1930 to 1950: British Empire Games
1954 to 1966: British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1970 and 1974: British Commonwealth Games
From 1978: Commonwealth Games
The inaugural Hamilton competition was officially known as the British Empire Games. Vancouver 1954 used the title British Empire and Commonwealth Games, while Edinburgh 1970 was presented as the British Commonwealth Games.
The change was not simply cosmetic. It demonstrated the event’s attempt to evolve alongside the independence of former colonies and the emergence of a Commonwealth based on voluntary association.
Were the Games Always Held Every Four Years?
The Games were designed as a four-yearly event, but global events occasionally interrupted the schedule.
The proposed 1942 and 1946 editions were cancelled because of the Second World War. The competition returned in Auckland in 1950.
The Games have also faced political and financial challenges. For example, the 1986 Edinburgh Games were affected by a major boycott connected to the United Kingdom’s policy toward apartheid-era South Africa.
More recently, the Australian state of Victoria withdrew from hosting the 2026 Games because of financial concerns. Glasgow subsequently adopted a smaller, existing-venue model and was officially confirmed as the replacement host in October 2024.
India’s History at the Commonwealth Games
India made its Commonwealth Games debut in the second edition, held in London in 1934. Wrestler Rashid Anwar won India’s first medal, taking bronze in the men’s welterweight category.
Over subsequent decades, India developed into one of the competition’s strongest sporting nations, particularly in:
Shooting
Wrestling
Weightlifting
Boxing
Badminton
Table tennis
Athletics
India recorded major medal hauls in Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006 before achieving its most successful Commonwealth Games performance as the host nation in Delhi in 2010.
Delhi 2010: India’s Best Commonwealth Games Performance
Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games from 3 to 14 October 2010. It was the first Commonwealth Games held in India and only the second edition staged in Asia after Kuala Lumpur 1998.
India won 101 medals, comprising:
39 gold
26 silver
36 bronze
The Delhi edition included 71 Commonwealth Games Associations and approximately 4,352 athletes. It remains India’s largest and most successful Commonwealth Games medal performance.
India’s Recent Commonwealth Games Performance
Edition | Indian athletes | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
Glasgow 2014 | 215 | 15 | 30 | 19 | 64 |
Gold Coast 2018 | 218 | 26 | 20 | 20 | 66 |
Birmingham 2022 | 210 | 22 | 16 | 23 | 61 |
Glasgow 2026 | 124 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 39 |
The 2026 contingent was considerably smaller because Glasgow staged a reduced sports programme. Several sports in which India traditionally performs strongly were not included. Nevertheless, India finished fourth in the final medal table.
How Did India Perform at Glasgow 2026?
India won 39 medals at Glasgow 2026:
13 gold
17 silver
9 bronze
This placed India fourth behind Australia, England and Canada in the final standings.
India’s Major Sporting Strengths in 2026
Boxing
Boxing became India’s most productive gold-medal sport. Indian boxers won seven gold medals, with women playing a particularly important role in the campaign.
Weightlifting
India entered 11 weight categories and won eight weightlifting medals: one gold, six silver and one bronze. Mirabai Chanu won the women’s 48kg title, securing her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold.
Athletics
Indian athletes secured medals in high jump, long jump, javelin, triple jump, discus, decathlon and distance running. Gulveer Singh was India’s only athlete to win two medals, taking silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m.
Judo
India won medals across several judo categories, including gold medals for Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh.
Para Sport
India’s Para athletes produced their best Commonwealth Games performance, winning seven medals: three gold, two silver and two bronze.
Women’s Contribution
Women won eight of India’s 13 gold medals at Glasgow 2026. Their victories came across boxing, weightlifting, judo and Para athletics, demonstrating the growing depth of women’s elite sport in India.
Why Was India’s 2026 Contingent Smaller?
India sent 210 athletes to Birmingham 2022 but only 124 to Glasgow 2026.
The main reason was the reduced Glasgow sports programme. The edition did not include several disciplines that have historically delivered a large share of India’s medals, including badminton, hockey, shooting, squash, table tennis and wrestling.
Glasgow’s organisers deliberately adopted a smaller model using existing facilities and a compact venue corridor. The objective was to reduce financial risk, environmental impact and dependence on extensive new infrastructure.
Therefore, comparing India’s 39 medals in Glasgow directly with the 61 medals won in Birmingham can be misleading. The number of events, available sports and size of India’s team were substantially different.
What Is Next for India and the Commonwealth Games?
The next senior Commonwealth Games will be held in Amdavad, also widely known as Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in 2030.
The event will mark the centenary of the first Commonwealth Games in 1930. India was formally confirmed as host in November 2025 following approval from the Commonwealth Sport member nations and territories.
The 2030 edition is expected to include between 15 and 17 sports, making it broader than the streamlined Glasgow programme. The confirmed core programme includes athletics, swimming, table tennis, bowls, weightlifting, artistic gymnastics, netball and boxing, together with their applicable Para disciplines.
Additional sports under consideration have included badminton, cricket, hockey, shooting, squash, wrestling, archery, cycling, judo and rugby sevens. The final programme will be decided through consultation among the organisers, Commonwealth Sport and international federations.
For India, hosting the centenary edition offers an opportunity to strengthen sporting infrastructure, increase youth participation, develop athlete pathways and demonstrate its ability to organise major international events.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Commonwealth Games begin?
The first official Games were held in Hamilton, Canada, from 16 to 23 August 1930. They were initially known as the British Empire Games.
Who founded the Commonwealth Games?
John Astley Cooper proposed an early Pan-Britannic sporting festival in 1891. Melville Marks “Bobby” Robinson later led the practical effort that resulted in the first official Games in Hamilton in 1930.
Why were the Commonwealth Games started?
They were created to bring athletes from participating countries together through friendly international competition, strengthen sporting relationships and provide an additional multi-sport platform beyond the Olympic Games.
How many Indian athletes qualified for Glasgow 2026?
The official Government of India figure was 124 athletes, comprising 78 men and 46 women.
How many medals did India win in 2026?
India won 39 medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze, finishing fourth in the medal table.
Which Indian athlete won two medals at Glasgow 2026?
Gulveer Singh won silver in the men’s 10,000m and bronze in the men’s 5,000m.
Where will the next Commonwealth Games be held?
The next senior edition is scheduled for Amdavad, or Ahmedabad, India, in 2030. It will celebrate the centenary of the Commonwealth Games.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Games began as a modest six-sport competition involving 400 athletes in Hamilton in 1930. Over nearly a century, the event has evolved from the British Empire Games into a diverse international competition involving independent nations and territories from across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
India’s journey has grown from a single bronze medal in 1934 to 101 medals as the Delhi 2010 host and a fourth-place finish at Glasgow 2026. The official 124-member Indian team returned from Glasgow with 39 medals, despite competing in a significantly smaller sports programme.
With Amdavad preparing to host the centenary Games in 2030, India is positioned to play a central role in shaping the next chapter of the Commonwealth sporting movement.
Disclaimer
This article is intended solely for general information, education and public awareness. Athlete participation figures, qualification terminology, event programmes, rankings and medal totals are based on official information available as of 4 August 2026.
The official figure of 124 refers to the Indian athletes selected and entered for Glasgow 2026. Qualification and selection procedures differ between sports and may include rankings, trials, quotas, eligibility standards and federation nominations.
This publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by Commonwealth Sport, Glasgow 2026, the Indian Olympic Association, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports or any participating sports federation. Readers should consult the relevant official organisations for corrected records, future qualification announcements and final Amdavad 2030 information. All event names, logos, photographs and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.
Neither Parikshit Khanna, Digital Training Jet Pvt. Ltd., nor any director, employee, trainer, representative, affiliate, associated professional or other person or entity connected with the company shall be responsible or liable for any loss, misunderstanding, decision, action or consequence arising from reliance on the information contained in this article.
