'I Had to Beat Pakistan': Army Boxer Jadumani Singh Recalls Emotional CWG Victory on Kargil Vijay Diwas

For Jadumani Singh, the bout against Pakistan at the 2026 Commonwealth Games wasn't just another step toward a medal. It was a date that carried the weight of history.

Competing in the men's 55kg category, the Indian Army boxer faced Pakistan's Sumama Rehman on Kargil Vijay Diwas, the day India commemorates its victory in the 1999 Kargil War. Singh went on to win the Round of 16 contest by a 5-0 unanimous decision, but for him, the victory meant far more than advancing in the tournament.

"It was Kargil Day. Being from the Indian Army, I was very determined that I had to beat Pakistan," Singh recalled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with India's Commonwealth Games medallists. "I defeated him 5-0 and dedicated the victory to our Indian Army heroes."

The moment drew a warm response from the Prime Minister, who said the dedication gave the win an even deeper meaning.

"Because you are from the armed forces yourself, the sentiment with which you dedicated your victory to the Kargil heroes made it even more special," Modi told the boxer.

Singh eventually finished with a silver medal, adding to India's boxing haul at the Glasgow Games. But his victory over the Pakistani opponent quickly became one of the tournament's most talked-about moments among Indian fans, largely because of the symbolism attached to the date.

The interaction also highlighted another emotional story from India's campaign.

Weightlifting star Mirabai Chanu, who won her third Commonwealth Games gold medal, admitted she broke down after standing on top of the podium, saying the victory came after years of injuries and the heartbreak of narrowly missing an Olympic medal by just one kilogram.

"When the national flag goes up and the anthem plays, tears just come naturally," Chanu said.

India finished the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with 39 medals—including 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze—to place fourth in the overall standings. The Games also marked the symbolic handover to India, which will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.

For Jadumani Singh, however, one bout stood above the rest.

It wasn't because it earned him a place on the podium. It was because, on a day dedicated to India's Kargil heroes, an Army boxer found his own way to honour them inside the ring.

(With inputs from ANI)