‘I had always dreamed of India being host for Commonwealth Games’: IOA president PT Usha

NEW DELHI: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P T Usha expressed her enthusiasm about India securing the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Ahmedabad. The 2030 CWG will mark the centenary of the Commonwealth Games and is expected to boost India’s bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics.

The IOA on Thursday confirmed that Commonwealth Sport awarded the 2030 Centenary CWG hosting rights to Ahmedabad, as the competition will mark 100 years since the first Commonwealth Games held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.

“As an athlete and as IOA President, I had always dreamed of India being the host for the Commonwealth Games. Under the able leadership of our Hon PM Modiji, India has bagged the hosting rights of CWG 2030! #TogetherWeDream and together we say- Bharat ki Mezbani, Har Dil ki Zubani”, IOA president PT Usha wrote in an X post.

As an athlete & as IOA President, I had always dreamed of India being the host for the Commonwealth Games. Under the able leadership of our Hon PM Modiji, India has bagged the hosting rights of CWG 2030! #TogetherWeDream and together we say- Bharat ki Mezbani, Har Dil ki Zubani!! pic.twitter.com/7pCLateJ7K

— P.T. USHA (@PTUshaOfficial) November 26, 2025

The world’s most populous nation will stage the landmark edition of the Games as delegates of the 74 Commonwealth member nations and territories ratified India’s bid at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow on Thursday.

Earlier, Tokyo 2020 Olympian Maana Patel expressed pride that Ahmedabad is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, saying, ‘I am feeling very proud as the city where I was brought up is going to host the international tournament,’ and believes it will be a learning experience for everyone.

“I am feeling very proud as the city where I was brought up and from where my swimming journey started, that city is going to host the international tournament. This will be a learning experience for everyone”, Maana Patel said.

India presented a compelling vision for the 2030 Games, centred in the Gujarat city of Ahmedabad, which will build on foundations laid by Glasgow 2026, enabling India to celebrate the centenary in style.

The first Commonwealth Games were held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada. Australia topped the medal table at the most recent Games, staged in Birmingham, England, in 2022, with the rest of the top five made up of England, Canada, India and New Zealand. (ANI)