The Commonwealth Games 2026 medalists met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.
PM Modi congratulated all the medal winners and praised them for their impressive performances at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Heavyweight boxer and silver medallist Narender Berwal shared an interesting story involving a Pakistani boxer with PM Modi after defeating him during the 2015 World Military Games.
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Recounting the incident, Berwal said the Pakistani boxer made a remark about the repeated use of the name Narendra in his life after the defeat.
“Pakistani boxer said to me, ‘Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai...’”
Berwal's statement brought a lighter moment to the interaction as the Commonwealth Games medallists spoke about their experiences before and during their stay in Glasgow.
The meeting was attended by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P T Usha. PM Modi heard the athletes speak about their journeys, challenges and memorable moments from the Games.
Lovlina Borgohain, Mirabai Chanu Share Their Experiences
Boxer Lovlina Borgohain also received appreciation during the interaction for objecting to a distorted Indian flag, highlighting the importance of national pride and representation.
Meanwhile, weightlifting star Mirabai Chanu opened up about the difficult period she endured over the last four years. Her journey back to the Commonwealth Games podium was one of the notable stories among India's medal-winning performances in Glasgow.
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The interaction also featured several lighter moments, with some athletes sharing jokes and personal experiences with the Prime Minister.
For Berwal, however, his story about the Pakistani boxer stood out as one of the most memorable moments. His account of the 2015 World Military Games victory offered a humorous glimpse into the rivalry between the two boxers while also adding a personal touch to the medal winners' interaction with PM Modi.
The meeting came as India celebrated its athletes who produced memorable performances at the Commonwealth Games 2026 and brought home medals from Glasgow.