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Commonwealth Games 2026: India Begins Campaign with Two Lawn Bowls Wins, Mirabai Chanu Leads Contingent
The Commonwealth Games 2026 kicked off in Glasgow with a vibrant opening ceremony, featuring Mirabai Chanu leading the Indian contingent and Lovlina Borgohain serving as the baton bearer. On the opening day, India secured two impressive victories in lawn bowls, though the team also suffered two major setbacks in weightlifting and judo due to doping issues.
The Commonwealth Games 2026 kicked off in Glasgow, Scotland, with a colorful opening ceremony. Around 3,000 participants from 74 nations and territories marched in the Parade of Nations. Mirabai Chanu, an Olympic silver medallist and Commonwealth Games gold-medalist, represented the Indian contingent and unfurled the Tricolour. Lovlina Borgohain, a bronze-medallist in Tokyo Olympics, was chosen as India’s first-ever ceremonial baton carrier in the history of the event. Glasgow 2026 was the first time in the Commonwealth Games history where the jobs of flag bearer and baton carrier were kept separate.
In the opening ceremony, there was exclusive focus on the culture and music of Scotland. The performances of Grammy-nominated KT Tunstall and Tom Walker kept the audience captivated. Scottish artists like Nina Nesbitt, Callum Beattie, Nathan Evans, Saint PHNX, and Valtos (electro-Celtic duo) enthralled the spectators with their songs. A big highlight was the concurrent unveiling of the ceremonial batons for all 74 participating nations and territories.
On the field of play, the first day was excellent for India. In the women's pairs lawn bowls event, the duo of Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki opened India's account by defeating Malta in a thrilling tie-breaker. The Indian pair won the first set 7-1, but Malta claimed the second set 4-3, forcing the match into a tie-breaker. In the decisive moments, the Indian players displayed composure and secured the victory.
