Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay, on Monday congratulated weightlifter Raja Muthupandi, who secured a silver medal in the men’s 65kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland and stated that his success is a matter of immense pride for Tamil Nadu.
CM Vijay also announced a cash award of Rs 30 lakh for the athlete on his achievement and stated that the reward was in recognition of his outstanding performance and expressed confidence that the medal-winning feat would inspire young sportspersons across the State.
He expressed hope that Muthupandi’s achievement would motivate aspiring athletes to pursue excellence in sports and bring greater recognition to Tamil Nadu.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Raja Muthupandi for winning the silver medal in the men’s 65kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His success is a matter of immense pride for Tamil Nadu. May this achievement inspire our youth, and I wish him many more victories that will bring honour to both Tamil Nadu and the nation,” CM Vijay said.
He described Muthupandi’s performance as a record-setting accomplishment and praised his perseverance on the international stage.
Announcing the ₹30 lakh cash award, the Chief Minister said the Tamil Nadu government would honour the athlete’s success with one of the State’s highest sports incentives.
The Commonwealth Games, being held in Glasgow, brought together nearly 3,000 athletes from 74 countries.
India has fielded a 123-member contingent across various events and has continued to add to its medal tally with impressive performances.
Representing India in the men’s 65kg weightlifting event, Raja Muthupandi, a native of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, displayed remarkable determination throughout the competition.
In the snatch event, he failed to lift 126kg in his opening attempt but recovered strongly to clear the same weight in his second attempt. His final effort of 129kg, however, was unsuccessful, leaving him with a best lift of 126kg in the discipline.
In the clean and jerk segment, Muthupandi again demonstrated resilience after failing in his opening attempt at 158kg.
Regrouping quickly, he successfully lifted 160kg in his second attempt, taking his combined total to 286kg.
The effort earned him the silver medal and placed him among the top performers in his weight category.
Hailing the achievement as a proud moment for Tamil Nadu and India, Chief Minister Vijay extended his heartfelt congratulations to the young weightlifter through a message on social media.
(IANS)
