Commonwealth Games 2026: All you need to know about Pranati Nayak

Pranati Nayak has been one of the constants in Indian women's gymnastics for over a decade. A vault specialist and Olympian, the West Bengal gymnast has consistently represented India at the sport's biggest competitions while overcoming injuries and limited resources.

As she prepares for another Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026, Pranati remains one of the country's most experienced artistic gymnasts.

Early days

Born on April 6, 1995, in Karkai village in West Bengal, Pranati discovered gymnastics at a young age after her flexibility caught the attention of her school coach.

Encouraged by her father, she joined the Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centre in Kolkata, where her journey as a competitive gymnast began.

Her early years were far from easy. With her family unable to bear the costs of training, coach Minara Begum stepped in to support her by covering expenses such as accommodation, food and other daily needs.

That support allowed Pranati to continue pursuing the sport at a time when many young athletes would have been forced to quit.

Rising through the ranks

Pranati steadily progressed through the national circuit before establishing herself as one of India's leading gymnasts, particularly in the vault.

She won the all-around title at the 2019 National Championships and soon began making her mark internationally. In the same year, she claimed bronze in the vault at the Asian Championships, the first of three medals she would win at the continental meet.

Her consistency also earned her qualification for the Tokyo Olympics, where she became only the second Indian woman gymnast to compete at the Games after Dipa Karmakar.

Over the years, Pranati has represented India at multiple editions of the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Championships, becoming one of the country's most experienced international gymnasts.

Overcoming setbacks

Pranati's career has also been shaped by resilience.

She battled a series of injuries, including knee, hamstring and ankle problems, at different stages of her career. Despite the setbacks, she continued competing at the highest level and returned to the international podium.

She added bronze medals at the Asian Championships in 2022 and 2025, becoming the first Indian gymnast to win three vault medals at the competition.

Her comeback also included podium finishes at the FIG World Cup circuit, with bronze medals in Cairo in 2024 and Antalya in 2025.

These performances reinforced her reputation as one of India's most reliable performers in the vault.

Eyes on Glasgow

Glasgow will mark another Commonwealth Games appearance for Pranati, who has represented India at the event since 2014.

The competition gives the veteran gymnast another opportunity to compete against some of the Commonwealth's strongest athletes while bringing valuable experience to the Indian squad.

From a small village in West Bengal to becoming an Olympian and one of India's most decorated female gymnasts, Pranati has enjoyed a career defined by perseverance and consistency.

More than a decade after making her international debut, she continues to be an important figure in Indian gymnastics and one of the country's leading performers on the vault.