Raja Muthupandi won the silver medal in the men’s 65kg event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, adding another podium to India’s strong start in the sport.The 26-year-old lifted 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 286kg to finish second. Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin claimed gold with a Commonwealth Games record total of 299kg, while Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru secured bronze with 282kg.
Glasgow: Malaysia’s gold medalist Muhamad Aznil Bidin, centre, India’s silver medalist Raja Muthupandi, left, and Papua New Guinea’s bronze medalist Morea Baru during the men’s 65kg final at the 23rd Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)(PTI07_27_2026_000023A)
The silver was Muthupandi’s first Commonwealth Games medal after finishing sixth in the men’s 62kg event on his Gold Coast debut in 2018.
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Long way back to the podium
Muthupandi’s progress was halted by a serious elbow ligament injury in 2019, with the COVID-19 pandemic also disrupting his rehabilitation. After moving up to the 67kg category, he also found opportunities limited as Jeremy Lalrinnunga established himself as India’s premier lifter in the division, eventually winning Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham in 2022.Jeremy’s injury struggles and form later reopened the door for Muthupandi, who switched to the 65 kg category and rebuilt his place in the national setup.
Glasgow: India’s Raja Muthupandi competes during the men’s 65kg final at the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)(PTI07_27_2026_000022A)
He announced his return to finish ninth at the 2025 World Championships, setting a personal best total of 299 kg through lifting 130 kg in the snatch and 169 kg in the clean and jerk.
India’s medal tally rises
Muthupandi arrived in Glasgow after winning silver at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships and has now added a Commonwealth Games silver to his resume.Her medal was India’s third in weightlifting on the day, after Rishikanta Singh and Mirabai Chanu’s podium, and increased the country’s overall tally to four medals at the Games, including one gold, two silvers and one bronze.