Commonwealth Games 2026: Who are India's medal contenders today, July 25 (Day 2)?

Opportunity for India to clinch medals at the Games on Day 2.

After a day of narrow misses and encouraging progress, India finally clinched its first medal of Commonwealth Games 2026, with Jhandu Kumar clinching a bronze in para-powerlifting.

Son of a vegetable farmer, Jhandu Kumar dragged himself to medal contention with a sensational 190kg lift on his second attempt. The 29-year-old from Bihar led the standings for a while before dropping down to third place and settling a bronze.

Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for Day 2 (July 25)

Not only is it his first medal at the Commonwealth Games, but this is also India’s first medal in the ongoing edition in Glasgow.

While Jhandu Kumar returned with a medal, the rinks at the Scottish Event Campus witnessed strong individual performances in lawn bowls. At the same time, in the pool, Kartik Budigina produced a sensational performance to finish fourth in the men’s 100m freestyle S13 final.

Meanwhile, the para-powerlifting arena saw intense competition in the men’s lightweight category; Ashok Kumar Malik delivered a remarkable 200kg bench press but narrowly missed a podium finish, finishing fourth under the bodyweight-adjusted coefficient scoring system.

Transitioning into the second day of competition, the Indian contingent will feature across several discipline fixtures spanning lawn bowls, boxing, 3×3 wheelchair basketball, gymnastics, and swimming.

Early preliminary play will see Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh return to the rinks to face Tonga in the Women’s Pairs, while Putul Sonowal takes on Malaysia in the Men’s Singles.

In the ring, boxer Sachin Siwach begins his campaign in the Men’s 60 kg Round of 32 against Canadian opposition, while the Indian Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team engages Wales in Group B action.

Also Read: Can India win any medals in swimming at Commonwealth Games 2026? Exploring the possibilities

India’s medal contenders on Day 2 (July 25) in the Commonwealth Games 2026

Artistic Gymnastics — Women’s Team Final [Pranati Nayak, Nishka Agarwal, Eshita Rewale, Protistha Samanta]

The evening schedule brings direct hardware opportunities, headlined by the gymnastics arena.

The Indian women’s gymnastics squad, featuring Pranati Nayak, Nishka Agarwal, Eshita Rewale, and Protistha Samanta, steps onto the floor for the Women’s Team Final and Individual Qualification Sub-Division 3, competing directly for team honours while targeting spots in individual apparatus finals.

Swimming — Men’s 400m Freestyle Final [Dhakshan Shashikumar & Aryan Nehra]*

The aquatics centre at Tollcross presents further potential medal paths depending on same-day qualification outcomes.

Swimmers Dhakshan Shashikumar and Aryan Nehra dive into the pool for the Men’s 400m Freestyle heats, aiming to secure top-eight qualifying berths to advance to the night’s final.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram