As the weightlifting competition at Commonwealth Games begins in Glasgow on Sunday, all eyes will be on Mirabai Chanu as she takes the platform in the women’s 48kg category, looking to make it three Commonwealth Games titles in a row.Mirabai has been one of India’s most consistent performers across sports, and the country will be hoping for another memorable display from the Manipuri star as she returns from a career-threatening injury. This time, however, she will not be the state’s only medal hope.Five members of India’s weightlifting squad hail from Manipur, underlining the state’s remarkable dominance in the sport. Watching their progress with immense pride will be veteran coach S Brojendro Singh, who played a key role in the early development of all five, including Mirabai.
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“It’s a matter of great pride for me. I coached all five of them when they first started weightlifting. Seeing them now represent India at the Commonwealth Games is a huge satisfaction,” Brojendro, who has been coaching at the state sports academy since 2004, told STOI.While Brojendro believes discipline, dedication, sacrifice and unwavering commitment have been central to Manipur’s success in weightlifting, he says Mirabai’s achievements transformed the sport in the state.“Mirabai inspired an entire generation. After people saw what she achieved, many youngsters took up weightlifting believing they too could reach that level. She showed them that it was possible,” he said.One of those inspired by Mirabai is Nirupama Devi, the silver medallist at 2025 Commonwealth Championships, who will make her CWG debut in the women’s 63kg category. Although she earned a place in the junior national camp in 2016, thing didn’t go as planned post 2019.“There were injuries, illness and the Covid-19 break, because of which I was out of national camp. But I kept working hard and now my focus is only on giving my best at CWG,” Nirupama said.Now training under chief national coach Vijay Sharma at Modinagar, she marked her return with a silver medal-winning total of 217kg at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships. Besides her coaches, Nirupama says Mirabai has also played an important role in her development.“Mirabai didi always guides us. Whenever we don’t understand something, she patiently explains it and motivates us. She has always been very supportive,” she said.Another major medal hope is young Martina Devi, who will compete in the women’s +86kg category. After recovering from an ACL injury, she has enjoyed a breakthrough 2026 season, winning both the junior and senior national titles.Bindyarani Devi, who won silver in the women’s 55kg category at Birmingham CWG, has since moved up to the 58kg division. Rishikanta Singh, who narrowly missed the podium in Birmingham, also changed categories to 60kg and heads into Glasgow after winning gold at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships.The entire Indian weightlifting squad, meanwhile, completed its final phase of preparations at University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall Campus, where it trained from June 29 until last week before travelling to Glasgow.The training camp is expected to play a key role as the lifters bid to peak at the right time over the coming days. For Brojendro, however, the medals will tell only part of the story. Watching five lifters who began their journeys under his guidance represent India at the Commonwealth Games is, he says, the greatest reward of his coaching career.
