<p>India will field a strong 224 member contingent, its second largest ever, in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games to be held from July 23 to August 3, with athletics forming the biggest squad of 41.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The sports ministry has cleared the 224 athletes from 14 sporting disciplines, including seven para-athletes, at government cost, along with a contingent of 90 officials, coaches and support staff.<br /><br />The Glasgow Games will have 17 sports and 261 medal events and India will not be fielding athletes only in three disciplines -- netball, rugby sevens and triathlon.<br /><br />The para-athletes will complete separately in a record 22 events in five different sports (athletics, cycling, lawn bowls, swimming and weightlifting).<br /><br />2010 Delhi GWG had 21 sports and 271 medal events and India had fielded 495 athletes, the country's largest ever participation. India had won a record 101 medals ( 38 gold, 27 silver, 36 bronze) and had finished second behind Australia.<br /><br />After the track and field athletes, who are expected to win between eight-10 medals, hockey players make the second largest contingent with 32 (16 men and 16 women players). Shooters, who are expected to win a major chunk of medals, form the third largest contingent with 30 marksmen.<br /><br />Archery and tennis, which contributed a chunk of medals for India in 2010 Delhi CWG, have been removed from the Glasgow Games. In wrestling, Greco-Roman section will no longer be there in Glasgow and shooting medal events will also be dropped from 44 in 2010 to 19 in Glasgow.<br /><br />Despite the reduction in medal events, Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta said he was confident of winning more or less the same number of medals in Glasgow.<br /><br />"I feel we will win more or less the same number of medals," he said after signing a sponsorship deal worth Rs one crore with leading dairy product brand Amul. The programme was attended by Indian hockey team members, including captain Sardar Singh and P R Sreejesh, and Glasgow-bound wrestlers.<br /><br />IOA treasurer Anil Khanna said the entire amount of Rs one crore will be spent on the CWG-bound athletes.</p>
<p>India will field a strong 224 member contingent, its second largest ever, in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games to be held from July 23 to August 3, with athletics forming the biggest squad of 41.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The sports ministry has cleared the 224 athletes from 14 sporting disciplines, including seven para-athletes, at government cost, along with a contingent of 90 officials, coaches and support staff.<br /><br />The Glasgow Games will have 17 sports and 261 medal events and India will not be fielding athletes only in three disciplines -- netball, rugby sevens and triathlon.<br /><br />The para-athletes will complete separately in a record 22 events in five different sports (athletics, cycling, lawn bowls, swimming and weightlifting).<br /><br />2010 Delhi GWG had 21 sports and 271 medal events and India had fielded 495 athletes, the country's largest ever participation. India had won a record 101 medals ( 38 gold, 27 silver, 36 bronze) and had finished second behind Australia.<br /><br />After the track and field athletes, who are expected to win between eight-10 medals, hockey players make the second largest contingent with 32 (16 men and 16 women players). Shooters, who are expected to win a major chunk of medals, form the third largest contingent with 30 marksmen.<br /><br />Archery and tennis, which contributed a chunk of medals for India in 2010 Delhi CWG, have been removed from the Glasgow Games. In wrestling, Greco-Roman section will no longer be there in Glasgow and shooting medal events will also be dropped from 44 in 2010 to 19 in Glasgow.<br /><br />Despite the reduction in medal events, Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta said he was confident of winning more or less the same number of medals in Glasgow.<br /><br />"I feel we will win more or less the same number of medals," he said after signing a sponsorship deal worth Rs one crore with leading dairy product brand Amul. The programme was attended by Indian hockey team members, including captain Sardar Singh and P R Sreejesh, and Glasgow-bound wrestlers.<br /><br />IOA treasurer Anil Khanna said the entire amount of Rs one crore will be spent on the CWG-bound athletes.</p>