NEW DELHI: As Indian athletes chase medals at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, an equally important competition is unfolding from the spotlight. Behind every performance is the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) medical team, which works around the clock to ensure that the athletes stay healthy, recover quickly and remain competitively ready through the demanding schedule.Led by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, the IOA medical unit has been working since the contingent arrived in Scotland. Assisted by physiotherapists Sumansh Sivalanka, Chris Pedra and Debashish Das, the team oversees injury management, physiotherapy, recovery protocols and rehabilitation across disciplines.“It has been a wonderful journey as my team consisting of Sumansh Sivalanka, Chris Pedra and Debashish Das have been working with the athletes even before the Games have started.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Updates
For me, personally, it is encouraging when team managers come and tell me that our presence is reassuring and adds value,” said Dr. Pardiwala.The task has been made more challenging by the absence of a central Athletes’ Village in Glasgow 2026. With the Indian contingent spread across three hotels, the IOA has placed its main treatment center at the Mercure Hotel while deploying medical personnel to all team bases to ensure that athletes have access to immediate care if needed.The medical unit also serves small contingents such as swimming and gymnastics, which do not travel with dedicated doctors or physiotherapists. Larger squads, including athletes, have their own medical staff, but continue to coordinate with the IOA’s central support system.For athletes who compete on multiple days, recovery becomes as important as training. Physiotherapy sessions, mobility work and rehabilitation programs are designed to minimize injury risks while helping competitors maintain peak performance.“The biggest satisfaction is seeing the smile on the faces of the athletes after they have had a hard day at work,” said Dr. Pardiwala.While the medals will dominate the headlines in the coming days, each podium finish also owes a debt to the doctors, physiotherapists and support staff whose work begins before the athletes enter the field of play and often continues long after the competition.For the IOA, the goal is beyond medals – ensuring that every Indian athlete enters the competition with the confidence that a dedicated support team is standing firmly behind them.