Who is all-time youngest Indian athlete to participate in Commonwealth Games 2026?
125 Indian athletes will take part in the upcoming Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games 2026 is less than a day away, with the showpiece event in Glasgow, Scotland, starting on July 23. India will look to improve its count of 61 medals from CWG 2022, where it finished fourth in the overall medal tally.
Accordingly, India has named a strong 125-person contingent for the tournament, which includes 78 men and 48 women, competing in 13 events across eight sports.
Some of the biggest sportspersons in the country will vie for the gold medal, including two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain.
Apart from the established stars, there are several new faces in the Indian contingent as well. One of them is para-cyclist Lisha Das, who, at 16 years, is the youngest member of the contingent.
She is one of the seven cyclists from the country taking part in the upcoming Commonwealth Games, and the only para athlete competing in this sport.
Also Read: Top five Indian debutants who are favourites to win medals at Commonwealth Games 2026
Lisha Das’s career so far
Born in Sonitpur, Assam, Lisha is a student at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV). She has a deformity in her left hand and competes in the women’s para track cycling C5 category, using conventional bicycles with the required adaptations.
Spotted by the Aditya Mehta Foundation (AMF) Grassroots Talent Identification Programme, she became a part of the Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad. She made her mark in para track cycling at the National Road Cycling Championships 2025, clinching a gold medal.
She won two silver and two bronze medals in road and track events at the Para Cycling Cups 2025 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. She continued to excel internationally, winning two gold medals at the Lanna Para Cycling Cup 2025 in Thailand.
In 2026, she won two silver and three bronze medals at the Asian Para Track Cycling Championships in the Philippines.
Her performances saw her qualify for the 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games, marking her debut in the tournament. She will compete in the C4-C5 para track cycling events. The 4,000m individual pursuit event is on July 30, and the 1,000m time trial event is on August 2.
Cycling is one of the few sports where India failed to win any medals in the 2022 edition, and Lisha Das will look to change that trend in the upcoming edition.
When does Commonwealth Games 2026 start?
The Commonwealth Games 2026 begins on July 23, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Who is the youngest Indian athlete in Commonwealth Games 2026?
The youngest Indian athlete at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow is 16‑year‑old para‑cyclist Lisha Das.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.