Gujarat deputy CM says the state studied Glasgow's Games delivery first-hand under the Future Host Observer Programme, and wants India to top the medal table in 2030
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, after returning from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games where he formally accepted the Games flag on Ahmedabad's behalf, said the city would aim to set a new benchmark when it hosts the 2030 edition, according to The Tribune.
Sanghavi said the state government's attempt would be for India to rank number one in the medal tally at Ahmedabad 2030, a jump from the fourth-place finish India recorded at Glasgow with 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze medals for a total of 39, the newspaper reported.
He linked the ambition to what he described as an eight-fold increase in the central sports budget under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it had expanded opportunities for athletes and the sports sector, The Tribune reported.
Sanghavi did not travel to Glasgow alone. He led a Gujarat government delegation of officials responsible for venue management, transport planning, accreditation, athlete accommodation and sports facilities under the Future Host Observer Programme, a scheme through which incoming hosts shadow the outgoing host city's operations, Daijiworld reported.
The delegation attended training sessions and sports diplomacy programmes running through August 2, the day of Glasgow's closing ceremony, to understand the requirements of athletes, officials and international federations at Games time, according to Daijiworld.
"Our entire team in Glasgow, from back-office management to Games delivery planning, has come here for training," Sanghavi said, according to the report, adding that understanding each federation's specific accommodation and infrastructure needs would be crucial to running the Games successfully.
Officials studied how Glasgow organisers ran competition and training venues day to day.
The delegation examined city-wide transport planning for athletes, officials and spectators.
Teams looked at accreditation systems and athlete accommodation arrangements ahead of 2030.
India's 39-medal haul at Glasgow 2026, its fourth-place finish on the overall medal table, forms the baseline Sanghavi wants Ahmedabad to build on. Boxing and para athletics drove much of that tally, with India recording its best-ever Commonwealth Games para campaign.
The state government, Sanghavi said, is working in a planned manner to further strengthen sports infrastructure so that young athletes get modern facilities and better opportunities in the run-up to 2030, according to Prokerala's report on his remarks after the flag handover.
Sanghavi's comments came days after the Glasgow closing ceremony, where he received the Commonwealth Games flag alongside IOA president PT Usha and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, and after Gujarat opened an Ahmedabad Experience Centre in Glasgow to promote the 2030 Games to visiting officials and athletes.
It gives Gujarat officials direct, on-ground exposure to running a Commonwealth Games before Ahmedabad has to do it itself.
A stated goal of finishing first gives India's sports establishment a concrete benchmark to plan training and infrastructure spending around.
He said Ahmedabad would aim to set a new benchmark for the Commonwealth Games and that India's target would be to rank number one in the medal tally at the 2030 Games, according to The Tribune.
It is the scheme under which Gujarat officials responsible for venues, transport, accreditation and athlete accommodation observed Glasgow 2026's Games delivery first-hand ahead of hosting Ahmedabad 2030, as reported by Daijiworld.
India finished fourth on the medal table with 39 medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze.
Yes, Harsh Sanghavi said the state government's attempt would be for India to rank number one at the 2030 Games, an improvement on its fourth-place Glasgow finish.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi led the delegation, which included officials covering venue management, transport, accreditation and athlete accommodation.