Indian weightlifter Harjinder Kaur clinched a silver medal in the Women's 69kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026 with a career-best total of 227kg. This victory marks an upgrade from her 2022 bronze and was followed by an emotional call with her mother. The article details her journey from a farming family in Punjab to the CWG podium.
The Indian weightlifter Harjinder Kaur has contributed to India’s medal tally by clinching silver in the Women's 69kg category at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday, July 28.
Harjinder lifted a total weight of a career-best total of 227kg, comprising 101kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean and jerk, to secure a brilliant second-place finish on the podium. This was India’s seventh medal in weightlifting and the 12th overall at the ongoing CWG, marking another historic milestone for the country's dominant weightlifting contingent.
In Harjinder Kaur’s weightlifting category, Canada’s Charlotte Simoneau clinched the gold medal with a games record of 240kg and Nya Hayman of Australia secured the bronze medal with a total lift of 218 kg.
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Harjinder Kaur’s Emotional Call With Her Mother
Right after winning her second Commonwealth Games medal, Harjinder Kaur first connected with her mother over a phone call, a tradition she follows after every major competition. However, the conversation with her mother was emotional rather than celebratory at first.
Speaking to IANS, Harjinder revealed that her mother was ‘a little upset’ during the call, as the weightlifter has been away from home for nearly three months while training and competing, adding that her mother was deeply emotional after seeing her silver medal following all the sacrifices and hard work she poured into preparing for the multi-sport event.
“I usually call my mother first whenever I win a medal, and today was no different; I spoke to her briefly right after my event as she was a little upset with me for being away at competitions for so long,” the 29-year-old said.
Harjinder Kaur participated in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze medal in the women's 71kg category. Four years later in Glasgow, she improved on that achievement by moving down to the 69kg division and claiming silver with a career-best total lift of 227kg.
Reflecting on her progress, Harjinder said the result was special as it marked an upgrade from her previous Commonwealth Games medal and rewarded the months of hard work she had put in leading up to the competition.
Who is Harjinder Kaur?
Harjinder Kaur hails from a humble background, residing in the Nabha division of Patiala district, Punjab. Kaur was initially pursuing Kabaddi before coach Paramjeet Sharma at Punjabi University asked her to switch to weightlifting due to immense physical power and strength that suited the sport perfectly.
Harjinder was 20 years old and a student at Punjabi University in Patiala when she picked up weightlifting under the guidance of coach Paramjeet. Her family endured financial hardship and constraints, as her father, Sahib Singh, worked tirelessly as a farmer to support the family while she chased her sporting dreams.
She once revealed that cutting fodder on a traditional toka machine helped her build raw strength and power, which served as her foundational training long before she ever touched a professional barbell. At the national level, Harjinder Kaur won multiple medals, including gold at the National Weightlifting Championships in 2024.
Harjinder Kaur’s international breakthrough came when she won the silver medal in the 71kg category at the 2021 Commonwealth Championships. In 2023, she improved on that performance by clinching the gold medal in the same event, establishing herself as one of India's leading weightlifters. Two years later, Harjinder secured bronze at the Commonwealth Championships 2025.
The 29-year-old’s first Commonwealth Games medal came at the 2022 Birmingham Games, where she won bronze in the women's 71kg category. She followed it up with an even better performance at the 2026 Glasgow Games, clinching silver in the women's 69kg event with a career-best total lift of 227kg. Before the CWG 2026, Harjinder Kaur won the bronze medal in Snatch at the 2026 Asian Championships.
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