Experience has never been a hindrance for the oldest Commonwealth Games medal winners from India. Whereas young players have generally won most of the country’s medals in the past, a few veteran competitors have shown that hard work and patience may be equally rewarding. The List of the Oldest Indian Medal Winners at Commonwealth Games includes veterans in lawn bowls from Birmingham 2022, when experience turned into the trump card. Unlike running events, lawn bowls requires precision and judgement, which means that athletes from India in their 40s may win historic medals in such an important sporting competition.

 

 

The reason why such wins deserve attention is not only due to the ages of the athletes but also because of their paths to success. Some competitors had to spend many years competing before winning a single medal. It took several athletes more than ten years to become champions. The athletes’ medals showed persistence and consistency, which made these wins among the most memorable for India in Commonwealth Games.

India's Five Oldest Commonwealth Games Medallists

1. Sunil Bahadur (45 years, 8 months, 22 days) - Lawn Bowls, Birmingham 2022

Sunil Bahadur made history by becoming India's oldest Commonwealth Games medallist when he clinched a silver in the men's fours event at Birmingham 2022. The sub-inspector from Jharkhand Police took on the role of lead bowler, teaming up with Navneet Singh, Chandan Singh, and Dinesh Kumar. India fought hard to reach the final, narrowly defeating the host nation, England, with a score of 13-12, before ultimately finishing as runners-up to Northern Ireland. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian lawn bowls.

2. Dinesh Kumar (45 years, 1 month, 21 days) - Lawn Bowls, Birmingham 2022

Dinesh Kumar won silver for leading the Indian men’s four team in the age category of 45 years old. He had played for India since 2010 and was very close to winning medals in previous Commonwealth games but could not make it. However, in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth games, India secured a silver medal through him.

3. Sharmila Dhankar (40 years) - Para-Athletics, Glasgow 2026

Sharmila Dhankar made history at Glasgow 2026 by clinching the gold medal in the women's shot put F57 event at the impressive age of 40. She achieved a season-best throw of 9.81 meters, a remarkable feat considering she only started her journey in para-sports at 34. Her triumph also marked the end of a 20-year drought for India in securing a gold medal in para-athletics at the Commonwealth Games.

4. Achanta Sharath Kamal (40 years) - Table Tennis, Birmingham 2022

Achanta Sharath Kamal put on an incredible show at Birmingham 2022, marking one of the best performances by an Indian athlete. At the age of 40, he snagged three gold medals and one silver in the team, mixed doubles, and men's doubles events. His impressive four-medal achievement really highlights his outstanding consistency in a sport where top players usually hit their peak much earlier.

5. Seema Punia (34 years) – Athletics, Gold Coast 2018

Seema Punia clinched the silver medal in women's discus throw at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games when she was 34 years old. With an impressive throw of 60.41 metres, she secured her spot on the podium, adding yet another significant medal to her collection. Even though she returned to compete in Birmingham 2022 at an older age, her remarkable performance in 2018 still stands as her most recent Commonwealth Games medal.