India’s success in judo at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 was a landmark moment, with the nation winning three medals in the sport. One of the architects of that success was 23-year-old judoka Unnati Sharma, who clinched bronze in the women’s 63kg category. In an exclusive chat with NDTV post-CWG 2026, Unnati revealed the raw emotion of winning a medal on the big stage, the unexpected messages of congratulations after her success, and the pioneers behind her rise to the top.
The Raw Emotion: Clinching Bronze At CWG 2026
For Unnati Sharma, the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 did not come easy. She had narrowly failed to qualify for the Games in 2022 after finishing second in the nation-wide trials. History was about to repeat in 2026, were it not for a retrial, which she won.
In Glasgow, Unnati’s win streak ended in the semi-finals, but she kept her composure to win bronze on a watershed day for Indian judo. What followed was pure joy.
“When I won the bronze medal, I was in a bit of shock. Then I felt very happy that I’ve finally won a medal. I got a bit emotional as well, but at the end of the day, I was just really, really happy,” Unnati said, in an interview with NDTV.
The joy was seemingly tenfold in her hometown in Uttarakhand. From sweets to dhols, elation erupted.
“My family was watching live at home when I won my medal. People in the neighbourhood also came to know when I won… Many came to our home with sweets. People from the neighbourhood brought a dhol, then the media came too. It was a full-on celebration. When I returned home from Delhi, I received a grand welcome. Even my school teachers came!” Unnati revealed.
Rising To Fame: The Unexpected Congratulations
Unnati and India’s success was met with a series of congratulatory messages, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A message of congratulations from the Prime Minister himself left the 23-year-old judoka in disbelief.
“Firstly, seeing Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) sir and President (Droupadi Murmu) ma’am wishing me with my name in their tweets was a shocking moment. That was very unexpected, just feeling that they’d taken time out of their own schedules to congratulate me,” she said.
More glory for India in Judo!
Congratulations to Unnati Sharma for winning the Bronze Medal in the Women’s 63 kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Her commitment and determination were clearly visible during the games. May she keep excelling in all her forthcoming…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 2, 2026
Then followed a wonderful moment on her flight home
“On my flight from Delhi to Dehradun, I did not feel anyone would recognize me. But one person followed me from the business class, tapped me on the shoulder, and recognized and congratulated me. That felt really good, and then everyone on the flight got to know! That was a great moment,” she recalled.
A Bronze Won, Or A Gold Missed?
While acknowledging the importance and enormity of a bronze medal, Unnati also candidly admitted a bittersweet emotion that she experienced after losing her semi-final bout.
“It was a missed opportunity for me; I could’ve won gold had I not made a mistake (in the semi-final). When I lost, I did feel that the gold had slipped away. But I also wanted to ensure that I did not lose out on the bronze – winning bronze is also a big thing. I’m happy, but there’s also the sadness of not winning gold,” she said.
The Pioneers Behind Her Success
Hailing from humble beginnings in Uttarakhand, Unnati received the ultimate impetus for her development at the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS) in Karnataka. Joining the institute provided the 23-year-old the necessary training to take her game to the next level.
“Joining Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS) was the turning point of my career. At my home in Uttarakhand, we have very basic facilities. When I came to IIS in 2018, I’ve been able to deliver the best performances of my career, as I was able to train with world-class facilities and under world-class coaches. If anyone apart from my family and coaches have a major role in this bronze, it’s Inspire Institute of Sports,” she explained.
Now, Unnati and the rest of the Indian judo contingent has set their eyes on LA 2028. Don’t put it past them to deliver the nation’s first-ever Olympic medal in judo!