Haryana’s Sakshi Sharma Wins Commonwealth Games Gold as India Beat Uganda in Kabaddi Final
Jind kabaddi player Sakshi Sharma has won a Commonwealth Games gold medal with the Indian women’s kabaddi team, after India defeated Uganda in the final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Sakshi, a resident of Jind district in Haryana, was a member of the victorious Indian squad, and news of the gold medal has brought celebrations to her family, her village and the wider district, with residents hailing her as a source of pride for Jind and Haryana.
Her father Churiya Ram said the achievement had brought honour to the family name, the village, Jind district, Haryana and the country, in that order — a reflection of how deeply the victory has been felt back home.
Sakshi has been playing kabaddi for 12 years, having taken up the sport while she was in the seventh grade at school. Her journey from school-level kabaddi to a Commonwealth Games gold medal spans more than a decade of training and competition.
Kabaddi holds a special place in Haryana, where the sport is played in villages and towns across the state and has long been a pathway for young players to reach national and international competition. Sakshi’s gold adds to that tradition and gives young players in Jind a home-grown example to follow.
The Indian women’s team’s gold in Glasgow underlines India’s strength in kabaddi on the world stage and marks a career-defining moment for Sakshi Sharma, whose name now joins the list of Haryana athletes who have brought international honours home to the state.
