Exclusive - Vegetable Shop, E-Rickshaw And Commonwealth Games Bronze: Para Powerlifter Jhandu Kumar's Inspiring Story
India's official medal tally at Commonwealth Games 2026 officially began on Friday after para-lifter Jhandu Kumar clinched bronze in the men's heavyweight category.
India's medal tally at the 2026 Commonwealth Games got underway on Friday after para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar clinched a bronze medal in the men's heavyweight category. Weighing 72.4 kg, Jhandu successfully lifted 190kg on his second attempt but narrowly missed a 196kg lift on his third and final try. He remained in the lead for a significant part of the competition before eventually finishing third to secure the bronze medal. Jhandu's journey to the Commonwealth Games podium is truly inspirational. Overcoming numerous hardships, he battled through financial and personal challenges to achieve success on the international stage and make the country proud.
After winning the bronze medal, Jhandu spoke to NDTV and reflected on his remarkable journey-from selling vegetables and driving an e-rickshaw to standing on the Commonwealth Games podium in Glasgow.
"While warming up, I already had a feeling that I was going to perform well today. When I lifted 191 kg, I felt that I could do even better, but due to a technical fault, I was unable to lift more than 190 kg. I have worked very hard for this," said Jhandu Kumar while speaking to NDTV. "I was hopeful of winning a medal, and my coach has been extremely supportive throughout."
#NDTVExclusive | India's 1st CWG 2026 Medalist, Jhandu Kumar, Who Battled Polio But Kept His Dreams Alive - After His Historic Win, Listen In To This Exclusive Conversation With NDTV's Sports Editor @cheerica#CommonwealthGames #CWG2026 #JhanduKumar pic.twitter.com/nbEbkeX6SY
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Speaking about his struggles, Jhandu said, "have been going to the gym since 2016-17. At that time, I had no knowledge about para powerlifting. It was around 2018-19 that I first came to know about the sport. We then spoke to the secretary in Bihar Sharif, who explained it to me in detail. After that, I started working hard towards it. I also had to sell vegetables while continuing my training. I used to train on my own."
Jhandu later revealed that he even an e-rickshaw to earn his living but decided to sell it off in 2023, in order to focus on his training.
"I went to compete in Kolkata in 2022, where I lifted 135 kg. It was during that event that I won my first medal. After that, I started enjoying the sport even more, and winning a medal made me feel proud. In 2022, while I was running my business, my shop was affected by an overbridge project and had to be shut down. As a result, I was forced to buy an e-rickshaw to earn a living. However, driving the e-rickshaw made training difficult. I would get physically exhausted after work and was unable to train properly. Then, when the National Championship came around in 2023, I sold the e-rickshaw," said Jhandu.
The Bihar-based para powerlifter dedicated the medal to his parents and said, "I would also like to dedicate this medal to my coach. This medal belongs to everyone at the Sports Ministry and SAI as well. All of them worked hard for this achievement. Their struggle, support, and contributions have played a huge role in helping me win this medal."