The 25-year-old achieved a total lift of 286kg (127kg in the snatch and 159kg in the clean and jerk), marking India’s fourth medal at the Glasgow Games and the third in weightlifting.
Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bidin successfully retained his Commonwealth Games title with a record-setting total of 299kg, while Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru took home the bronze.
Raja’s achievements
| Competition | Result |
| 2018 Commonwealth Games | 6th place (62kg) |
| 2019 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships | Serious elbow ligament injury |
| 2021 Senior National Championships | Bronze |
| 2022 Commonwealth Games | Missed selection |
| 2026 Senior National Championships | Gold with national-record 302kg (130kg snatch, 172kg clean & jerk) |
| 2026 Commonwealth Games | Silver (286kg) |
Raja’s silver medal followed closely on the heels of Mirabai Chanu securing India’s first gold of the Games and Chanambam Rishikanta Singh earning silver in the men’s 60kg category.
Raja faced a challenging start after failing to make his opening snatch attempt at 126kg. Nevertheless, he quickly bounced back by successfully lifting the same weight before clearing 127kg, positioning himself for a medal.
His aspirations for gold took a hit when Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bidin executed an impressive 133kg snatch, setting a new Commonwealth Games record and establishing a significant lead.
Entering the clean and jerk, Raja held only a narrow one-kilogram lead over Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru, with Nigeria’s Favour Agboro also in the mix.
Displaying remarkable resilience, Raja missed his first clean and jerk attempt at 158kg, yet he regrouped effectively to lift 159kg on his second attempt, a successful feat that ultimately ensured him the silver medal.
Baru was unable to lift 160kg but managed 159kg, while Agboro’s final attempt at 161kg also fell short, securing Raja’s spot on the podium.
