Bindyarani Devi clinched a hard-fought bronze medal in the women's 58kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026
Rising from her roots in Manipur with guidance from legend Mirabai Chanu, she successfully transitioned from the 55kg to the 58kg weight class
Her continuous international success has been strongly backed by targeted government frameworks like TOPS
Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Sorokhaibam delivered a stellar performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, clinching a hard-fought bronze medal in the newly shifted women's 58kg category. Stepping up to the heavier weight class with supreme grit, Bindyarani showed incredible tactical composure on the platform, successfully hoisting 87kg in the snatch segment to remain firmly in the hunt among the leading pack.
Carrying her momentum into the clean and jerk round, she put up a fierce fight under immense pressure, locking out a brilliant 112kg lift to bring her combined total to an impressive 199kg, safely securing a podium finish and handing India its sixth overall medal of the multi-sport games.
Building on her silver-medal success from the 2022 Birmingham edition, Bindyarani's latest achievement further cements her status as one of India's most dependable and resilient international weightlifters.
Who Is Bindyarani Sorokhaibam?
Born on January 27, 1999, and hailing from Manipur, India, Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam built her training base at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) in Patiala. As a child growing up in Manipur, she dreamed of being like the ancient Manipuri heroes she read about in books, later setting her sights on emulating local legend Mirabai Chanu.
While her mother kept her strictly disciplined early on, Bindyarani initially struggled with nutrition and favored fast food until Mirabai Chanu personally stepped in to advise her on proper athletic diet habits. Rising steadily through the junior ranks, which included a notable appearance at the Asian Youth and Junior Championships in 2016, she transitioned seamlessly into a dominant senior international medalist.
Her major career achievements span multiple international podiums, starting with a gold medal at the Commonwealth Senior Championships in 2019 with a total of 183kg in the 55kg category. She followed this up with a silver medal at the Commonwealth Senior Championships in 2021 with a total of 198kg, before claiming another silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with a total of 202kg.
Demonstrating her adaptability following her category shift, she secured a silver medal at the Commonwealth Championships in 2025 in the 58kg category with a total of 206kg, before adding her recent bronze medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 with a total of 199kg.
Bindyarani’s continuous evolution and elite-level readiness have been strongly propelled by targeted government interventions and elite athlete frameworks. This includes Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) support with financial assistance.
Her specialized training and camps featured financial assistance for the National Coaching Camp for Elite Senior Men and Women held at NSNIS, Patiala from April 1 to August 31, 2026, as well as acclimatization training camp support for CWG preparations at the Warley Weightlifting Club in Birmingham from June 28 to July 22, 2026.
Furthermore, international competition and preparation funding provided crucial backing for critical events, including the AWF Asian Senior Weightlifting Championship in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and targeted preparation campaigns for the IWF World Weightlifting Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
