India Name 14-Member Judo Squad for 2026 Commonwealth Games, Eye Historic First Gold in Glasgow
The Judo Federation of India (JFI) has announced a 14-member squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, as the country looks to end its wait for a historic first Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport.
India will field a balanced contingent comprising seven men and seven women, featuring a blend of experienced campaigners, Olympians, national champions and exciting young prospects. The judo competition will take place from July 31 to August 2 at the SEC Centre, one of the key venues of the revamped Commonwealth Games.
With the 2026 Games adopting a streamlined format featuring only ten sports, judo has retained its place in the programme, making the competition even more significant. The reduced sports roster increases the importance of every medal opportunity, and India will hope its carefully selected squad can deliver one of the country's best-ever performances on the Commonwealth stage.
India has enjoyed moderate success in Commonwealth Games judo over the years, winning 11 medals (five silver and six bronze) but has never produced a Commonwealth champion. The country's best campaign came during the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, when Indian judokas returned with four medals. The primary objective in 2026 is clear: convert those near misses into India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in judo.
Experienced Leaders Headline Men's Squad
The men's team combines seasoned international competitors with emerging talents. Leading the squad is Avtar Singh (100 kg), one of India's most experienced judokas. A former Olympian who represented India at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Avtar brings invaluable experience to a squad featuring several debutants. His recent silver medal at the 2025 Hong Kong Asian Open suggests he remains in strong form heading into Glasgow.
Another veteran, Karanjit Singh Maan (90 kg), enters the Games as a five-time national champion and South Asian Games gold medallist. His wealth of experience and tactical maturity make him one of India's strongest medal contenders. Youngsters Harsh Singh (60 kg), Rohit Basir Majgul (66 kg), Arun Kumar (73 kg), Harsh Tokas (81 kg) and heavyweight Yash Ghanghas (+100 kg) complete the men's lineup, each having impressed through consistent performances at national and international competitions.
Among them, Arun Kumar stands out after winning medals at the Macau Junior Asian Cup and Taipei Asian Open before making encouraging progress on the IJF circuit. Harsh Tokas, meanwhile, benefits from a relatively compact draw in the 81kg category, potentially easing his path towards the medal rounds.
India's women's contingent arguably carries even stronger medal prospects. The biggest name is undoubtedly Tulika Maan (+78kg), India's most accomplished judoka. A Commonwealth Games silver medallist from Birmingham 2022 and an Olympian at Paris 2024, Tulika enters Glasgow with unfinished business after narrowly missing gold four years ago. Her experience, physical dominance and consistent performances make her India's leading gold medal hopeful.
Another major medal prospect is Inunganbi Takhellambam (70kg). The Manipuri judoka recently ended India's 13-year medal drought at the Asian Senior Championships by winning bronze in Ordos. Having overcome two serious knee injuries during her career, she arrives in Glasgow full of confidence and could challenge the strongest athletes in her category.
Rising heavyweight Ishroop Narang (78kg) also represents one of India's brightest young prospects. Still only 19, she has already climbed to Junior World No. 3 and won gold at the Taipei Junior Asian Cup. Glasgow will provide her first major senior multi-sport event. The women's squad is completed by Asmita Dey (48kg), Shraddha Kadabul Chopade (52kg), Yamini Mourya (57kg) and Unnati Sharma (63kg).
Asmita enters the tournament after impressive performances at both junior and senior levels, including gold at the Casablanca African Open, while Yamini Mourya returns determined after overcoming previous selection disappointments to earn her place in the squad.
Although India possesses genuine medal contenders, the road to the podium will be challenging. Traditional Commonwealth powerhouse England once again boasts one of the strongest squads, while hosts Scotland will enjoy home advantage backed by passionate local support. Australia also fields several world-ranked judokas capable of challenging for gold medals across multiple weight divisions.
For India, success will depend not only on technical quality but also on tactical execution, physical conditioning and the ability to manage pressure in knockout competition.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games present a significant opportunity for Indian judo. With a carefully selected squad featuring proven international performers alongside talented youngsters, expectations are higher than ever before. Several members of the team have already demonstrated their ability to compete successfully at continental and world-level events. If they can reproduce those performances in Glasgow, India could finally achieve the elusive Commonwealth Games judo gold that has narrowly escaped the country for decades.
The blend of experience provided by Tulika Maan, Avtar Singh and Karanjit Singh Maan, coupled with the fearlessness of the younger generation, gives India one of its strongest squads in recent history.
As the countdown to Glasgow continues, Indian judo fans will hope this talented group can create history and deliver the nation's best-ever Commonwealth Games campaign.
India's Judo Squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games
Men 60kg: Harsh Singh; 66kg: Rohit Basir Majgul; 73kg: Arun Kumar; 81kg: Harsh Tokas; 90kg: Karanjit Singh Maan; 100kg: Avtar Singh & +100kg: Yash Ghanghas
Women 48kg: Asmita Dey; 52kg: Shraddha Kadabul Chopade; 57kg: Yamini Mourya; 63kg: Unnati Sharma; 70kg: Inunganbi Takhellambam; 78kg: Ishroop Narang & +78kg: Tulika Maan
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