NEW DELHI, Aug 6: The reported positive dope tests of two medal-winning weightlifters failed to spoil India’s celebration of their Commonwealth Games contingent which returned home to a rousing welcome early Tuesday.

India won an unprecedented 32 golds, 21 silvers and 19 bronze medals at the games, which ended in Manchester on Sunday, to finish a best-ever third behind Australia and England.

The accolades were led by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who congratulated the competitors at his residence and announced a cash award of one million rupees ($20,500) to each member of the gold medal-winning women’s hockey team.

The government has already announced huge cash awards for the Manchester medal winners, who will receive two million rupees ($41,000), 1.5 million rupees ($30,800) and one million rupees for gold, silver and bronze respectively.

Over a thousand fans and officials, including federal sports minister Uma Bharti, greeted the Indian squads on their arrival at the Indira Gandhi international airport with a band of traditional Indian drums in tow.

School children carrying miniature Indian flags lined the aisles as shooters Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat and Jaspal Rana, who won four gold medals each at the games, got the loudest cheers.

Indian shooters bagged 14 golds and weightlifters got 13.

“We got a lot of international exposure,” Bhagwat said.

“I am very happy because in getting the medals my scores were of a good standard. My next target is this year’s Asian Games and then the 2004 Olympics.”

Officials predicted the performances would be a turning point for India, which has often been criticised for a poor display in major international meets.

“It’s a wonderful thing to happen to Olympic sports in India,” Suresh Kalmadi, president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) told reporters.

“The change in fortunes is most welcome. The performance of the Indian contingent was exceptional.”

But India’s jubilation has been marred to an extent by the positive dope test of 62 kg lifter Krishnan Madasamy, who was stripped of three silver medals on Saturday.

Satheesha Rai, who won two golds and a bronze in the men’s 77 kg category, has also failed a drugs test, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).—Reuters