India will begin their Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow on Thursday with a compact but full 125-member contingent aiming to maximize their opportunities in a drastically cut schedule. The Games, which run from July 23 to August 2, feature just 10 sports, forcing India to recalibrate expectations after a highly successful Birmingham campaign four years ago.The Indian team comprises 77 men and 48 women competing in eight able-bodied and five para disciplines. Athletics forms the backbone of the campaign with 32 competitors, while boxing and judo have 14 athletes each, 12 in weightlifting and five in swimming. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu will be India’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony, with Tokyo bronze medalist and former world champion boxer Lovlina Borgohain serving as baton bearer.The overall Indian delegation includes 190 members – 125 athletes, 51 coaches and support staff and 14 contingent officers.Unlike Birmingham, where India fielded 210 athletes and won 61 medals, including 22 gold, Glasgow presents a very different challenge. The program has been cut from 19 sports in 2022 to 10, with medal-rich disciplines such as badminton, wrestling, hockey, table tennis, cricket and squash omitted. Those six sports accounted for 30 of India’s medals in Birmingham, drastically reducing the country’s traditional medal base.Despite the reduced program, India boasts several genuine gold contenders. Tokyo Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra returns to the CWG after missing Birmingham through injury and renews his rivalry with Pakistan’s Olympic and Commonwealth champion Arshad Nadeem. The camp also includes Sri Lanka’s world captain Rumesh Pathirage. Chopra, the 2018 champion, remains the biggest hope of athletics in India.Birmingham silver medalist long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, who set a national record of 2.31 meters last month before finishing third at the Monaco Diamond League meet, also boost India’s athletics ambitions. Other key names include Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Parul Chaudhary, Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Gulveer Singh.India’s heavyweight challenge will again be led by Mirabai, who is chasing a fourth CWG medal and a third straight gold. The boxing team includes proven contenders like Lovlina, Sakshi Chaudhary, Preeti Pawar and Jaismine Lamboria.The contingent spans generations, with 49-year-old lawn bowler Dinesh Kumar Singh the oldest athlete and 16-year-old paracyclist Lisha Das the youngest. The competitions will be staged at Scotstoun Stadium, the Scottish Events Campus, the Glasgow International Arena and the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.With Ahmedabad set to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, Glasgow offers India not only a shot at medals but also a valuable learning opportunity before hosting the home of the sporting community.