Rashid Anwar became the first Indian medallist to win a bronze in wrestling at the 1934 CWG.
Milkha Singh, 'The Flying Sikh' gave India it's first gold in the 1958 CWG.
India gears up for CWG 2026 through these historic moments.
With the Commonwealth Games 2026 on the horizon, India once again prepares to chase sporting glory on one of the biggest multi-sport stages.
Over the decades, the nation has produced countless unforgettable moments, but every success can be traced back to a handful of historic medals that laid the foundation for India's rise at the Games.
From wrestling mats in London to sprint tracks in Cardiff and the record-breaking home campaign in New Delhi, these performances reshaped Indian sport and inspired generations of athletes.
Rashid Anwar's Historic First Medal (1934)
India's Commonwealth Games story began in 1934, then known as the British Empire Games, when wrestler Rashid Anwar became the country's first-ever medallist by winning bronze in the men's 74kg freestyle wrestling event in London.
The achievement came with just a six-member Indian contingent and remains one of the most significant milestones in Indian sporting history.
Milkha Singh's Golden Run (1958)
India had to wait until the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff before hearing its national anthem on top of the podium.
Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh won the men's 440-yard race to claim India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal, cementing his place among the country's greatest sporting icons.
The Rise Of A Sporting Power
Over the following decades, India expanded its medal-winning legacy through wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, badminton, shooting and athletics.
The defining moment arrived at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, where India recorded its best-ever performance with 101 medals, including 38 golds, to finish second in the overall standings, the highest finish in the nation's Commonwealth Games history.
Eyes On Commonwealth Games 2026
As India gears up for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the next generation of athletes will look to build upon a legacy that began with Rashid Anwar nearly a century ago.
Every medal won today carries the weight of those historic performances that transformed India into one of the Commonwealth's leading sporting nations.
