Indian judoka Harsh Tokas is heading into the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow with a clear target: win India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in judo. The 23-year-old, who will compete in the men’s 81kg category, said the Games represent the biggest stage of his career so far and that he is determined to finish on the top step of the podium on his debut.
Tokas, who has been drawn to combat sports since childhood, credits his early start in Delhi’s Munirka village for setting him on this path. He also points to the influence of Georgian judoka Lasha Bekauri, a two-time Olympic champion, as a key inspiration as he prepares for the biggest opportunity of his life.
From a free academy in Munirka to the CWG stage
Tokas said he began judo around 12 years ago, when he was about 10 or 11, after joining an academy in his village that was opened for children free of cost by his coach. That environment, he explained, helped him discover the sport and commit to it over the years.
“I started judo about 12 years ago when I was around 10 or 11 years old. I am from Munirka village in Delhi. There is an academy in our village run by our coach, he opened it for children free of cost so that anyone could come and train. That is where my journey began,” Tokas told PTI during an interaction.
He added that his interest in combat sports made the transition into judo feel natural, especially with a training centre close to home. “I liked combat sports from a young age. There was a judo academy near my home and the environment attracted me. I used to enjoy competing and challenging myself, and that is how my judo career started,” he said.
Now, with Glasgow 2026 approaching, Tokas says he is focused on one outcome. “The only thing on my mind is to win a gold medal. I want to win a gold medal for my country and make everyone proud,” he said.
However, the Indian judoka team has faced issues even before arriving in Glasgow, with two doping-related suspensions reported, including last edition’s silver-medallist Tulika Maan for a whereabouts failure. Tokas, for his part, said his education at the Vijaya Bharat Foundation (VBF) has helped him understand clean sport and the responsibilities that come with being a professional athlete.
“While training at VBF (Vijaya Bharat Foundation), we attended special anti-doping awareness sessions. In those classes, we were taught how to manage our diet, what precautions to take, and how to complete our whereabouts requirements on time,” he said.
Tokas added that those lessons have stayed with him. “We were educated about all these important aspects of being a professional athlete, and those lessons have stayed with us. We were taught to follow the right path and compete cleanly,” he noted.
Training confidence and a single-minded goal
Despite it being his Commonwealth Games debut, Tokas insisted he is not feeling pressure, crediting months of intensive preparation for giving him confidence. “There is no pressure. If your training is going well, most of the pressure goes away. For the last two to three months, I have been training at a level I had never reached before,” he said.
He also underlined how much the moment means after more than a decade in the sport. “I will give my 100 per cent, 200 per cent, even 500 per cent. Winning a medal is my dream and I want to fulfil it. This is the biggest dream of my life. I have given 12 years to this sport, and now the opportunity is in front of me. I want to make it count,” he said.
Bekauri inspiration and a memorable meeting in Georgia
Tokas said he has followed Lasha Bekauri since childhood and admires the Georgian’s style. That admiration became more personal when Tokas met Bekauri during a training stint in Georgia, an experience he described as memorable as he sought advice on improving his technique.
“My inspiration is Georgian judoka Lasha Bekauri, who is an Olympic champion. I met him in Georgia. I have followed Bekauri since childhood and know the journey he took to become an Olympic champion. His style is something I admire, and he is one of my favourite athletes,” Tokas said.
He recalled that Bekauri was not training at the time due to an operation, but the conversation still proved valuable. “Yes, I spoke with him in Georgia. He had undergone an operation and was not training at the time, but we met there and had some conversations, I asked him about his techniques and how they improved,” Tokas said.
Tokas added that the message he took away was straightforward and practical: “He told me that mastering my best techniques would help me win consistently,” he remembered.
With Glasgow 2026 set to be the biggest stage of his career, Tokas is approaching his men’s 81kg campaign with confidence in his preparation, a focus on clean sport, and a singular ambition to make history for India in Commonwealth Games judo.
