India ranks fourth in the all-time Commonwealth Games medal table, having won 564 total medals since its debut in 1934. Over half of these medals have come from shooting, weightlifting, and wrestling, which explains why specialists from these disciplines dominate the country’s individual medal tallies.
This list profiles the top ten most successful Indian athletes at the Games based on total career medals. The rankings reflect individual and pairs achievements spanning from the 1990 Auckland Games to the recent 2022 edition in Birmingham, showcasing the nation’s highest-achieving multi-sport competitors.
Top 10 Indian athletes with most Commonwealth Games Medals
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15 Medals: Jaspal Rana (Shooting)
The late legendary pistol shooter Jaspal Rana remains India’s most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete, having secured an extraordinary total of 15 medals. Competing across four editions from Victoria 1994 to Melbourne 2006, Rana captured 9 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals. He excelled in both center-fire and standard pistol categories, dominating individual and team pairs events alongside contemporary marksmen.
His exceptional accuracy and mental composure established India as a global powerhouse in competitive shooting sports. Beyond his historic individual athletic exploits, Rana also made invaluable contributions as a mentor, notably coaching next-generation champions like Manu Bhaker.
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14 Medals: Samaresh Jung (Shooting)
Renowned affectionately as “Goldfinger” by fans and media, Samaresh Jung compiled a staggering tally of 14 medals. Between the Manchester 2002 and Delhi 2010 Games, he collected 7 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze medals. His defining moment arrived during the Melbourne 2006 Games, where he produced a historic haul of five gold medals, one silver, and one bronze.
This breathtaking performance earned him the prestigious David Dixon Award as the outstanding athlete of the entire tournament. Jung specialised in 10-meter air pistol and 50-meter free pistol disciplines, frequently dominating pairs alongside Jaspal Rana.
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13 Medals: Achanta Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis)
Table tennis maestro Achanta Sharath Kamal stands as India’s most successful non-shooting Commonwealth Games athlete with 13 medals. Over a legendary career spanning from Melbourne 2006 to Birmingham 2022, he captured 7 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
Sharath Kamal consistently redefined Indian table tennis through his immense longevity, securing crucial singles, doubles, and team titles. His peak single-edition dominance occurred at the Birmingham 2022 Games, where he carried the national contingent by securing three golds and one silver medal. His career serves as a vital blueprint for aspiring paddle sports athletes nationwide.
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10 medals: Gagan Narang (Shooting)
Rifle ace Gagan Narang etched his name into Indian sporting folklore by accumulating 10 medals at the Commonwealth Games. The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist captured 8 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal across his illustrious appearances.
Narang displayed unparalleled mastery in the 10-meter air rifle and 50-meter rifle three-positions categories, often sweeping individual and pairs titles. His most dominant displays came during the Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010 Games, where he achieved flawless multi-gold hauls. Narang’s remarkable precision under immense home-crowd pressure cemented his legacy as one of Asia’s premier sports rifle marksmen.
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7 Medals: Abhinav Bindra (Shooting)
India’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, built a stellar parallel legacy at the Commonwealth Games with 9 medals. Competing from 2002 through 2014, Bindra amassed 4 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medals in the 10-meter air rifle discipline.
Known for his microscopic focus and mechanical precision, he dominated both individual tournaments and pairs events alongside Gagan Narang. Bindra famously signed off from his Commonwealth Games career in style, capturing a coveted individual gold medal at Glasgow 2014. His technical excellence drastically raised professionalism standards across India’s entire Olympic sports infrastructure.
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7 Medals: Tejaswini Sawant (Shooting)
Acclaimed rifle specialist Tejaswini Sawant has accumulated 7 medals to become India’s most decorated female shooter at the Commonwealth Games. Her career haul features 3 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medal across multiple editions from 2006 to 2018.
Sawant made an immediate impact at Melbourne 2006 by securing two gold medals in the 10-meter air rifle events. Showing incredible longevity, she adjusted to 50-meter rifle prone and three-positions categories, famously striking individual gold at Gold Coast 2018. Her versatility across both air and power rifles highlights her elite technical capabilities.
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6 Medals: Raghavan Chandrasekaran (Weightlifting)
Trailblazing weightlifter Raghavan Chandrasekaran remains a legendary icon of Indian strength sports, securing 6 medals across the 1990 and 1994 Games. Competing in the flyweight category, he achieved absolute dominance at Auckland 1990 by sweeping all 3 gold medals across the Snatch, Clean and Jerk, and Overall Total divisions.
He followed this masterclass at Victoria 1994 by capturing 3 silver medals. Chandrasekaran’s explosive lifting technique and historic multi-medal hauls proved pivotal, transforming weightlifting into a major stronghold for India’s international contingent during the early 1990s.
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6 Medals: Vijay Kumar (Shooting)
Pistol maestro and 2012 Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar engineered a highly efficient Commonwealth Games legacy, claiming 6 medals. His stellar collection includes 5 gold and 1 silver medal won over the 2006 and 2010 editions of the tournament.
Kumar specialised in the lightning-fast 25-meter rapid-fire pistol and center-fire pistol events, where split-second timing determines the winner. At Delhi 2010, he enjoyed a spectacular tournament on home soil, securing three gold medals across individual and team categories. Kumar’s rapid-fire accuracy and calm composure made him virtually unbeatable during his competitive prime.
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5 Medals: Saina Nehwal (Badminton)
Badminton pioneer Saina Nehwal holds a legendary status in court sports, racking up 5 medals across multiple Commonwealth Games editions. Her impressive tally comprises 3 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal. Nehwal secured a historic individual singles gold at Delhi 2010, which triggered a massive badminton boom across the nation.
At Gold Coast 2018, she displayed fierce competitive drive to capture another individual singles gold alongside a crucial mixed team gold medal. Nehwal’s aggressive style of play, mental fortitude, and big-match temperament consistently anchored the Indian badminton contingent on the world stage.
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5 Medals: PV Sindhu (Badminton)
Global badminton icon PV Sindhu completes this elite list, matching the top tier with 5 medals across three consecutive Commonwealth Games. Her highly decorated resume features 2 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal won between 2014 and 2022.
After earning singles bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018, Sindhu achieved her ultimate ultimate target by capturing the elusive individual singles gold medal at Birmingham 2022. Her powerful attacking game and defensive reach also guided India to a historic mixed team gold in 2018, cementing her status as a big-stage performer.