India’s first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games came through para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar, who won bronze. For the 24-year-old from Bihar, the medal marks another milestone in a journey that began far away from international arenas.
Before becoming a Commonwealth medallist, Jhandu helped his family earn a living by selling vegetables and driving an e-rickshaw. Even today, he says, the family’s vegetable business continues back home.
“I am very happy. I can’t even express how happy I feel,” Jhandu said after the event.
The celebrations have already begun in his village.
“When I spoke to my family, they told me sweets were being distributed throughout our village. They said several kilos of sweets had already been shared. Everyone is celebrating.”
For his coach, Rajinder Singh Rahelu, India’s Athens 2004 Paralympic bronze medallist and now chief coach at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre in Gandhinagar, the significance of the medal extended beyond the podium.
“Jhandu Kumar’s medal is very important for us and for the country. It was the first medal won by our team, so naturally it is a moment of joy and pride,” Rahelu said.
“As coaches, we always set bigger targets. We wanted to finish even higher, but this is an excellent achievement and only the beginning for him.”
Rahelu first came across Jhandu during the 2023 National Championships while serving on the Talent Identification Committee. It wasn’t a competition that Jhandu would remember fondly.
“He participated there, but unfortunately all three of his lifts were fouled and he was eliminated,” Rahelu recalled.
“Most people only saw the result. I saw his strength and his potential. After the competition, I spoke to the committee and our chairman and recommended that he be inducted into our National Coaching Centre in Gandhinagar.”
That decision proved decisive.
“Last year he won a medal at the World Cup in China. Two months ago he won another medal at the Asian Championships in Bangkok. Now he has won a Commonwealth medal. He has shown what he is capable of, but there is still a long way to go.”
Jhandu’s introduction to powerlifting came almost by accident.
“I started as a shot putter around 2018 and 2019,” said the Glasgow medallist.
“While competing, I also trained in powerlifting and bench pressing in gyms. I realised I was much better at it, so I decided to pursue this sport.”
His early years in the sport were guided by local coaches in Bihar.
“My first coach was Dharanav. Later, I met Gautam Singh, who introduced me properly to powerlifting. He himself competed in able-bodied competitions and motivated me a lot. We competed at the district, state and national levels before I was selected for the Gandhinagar National Coaching Centre in 2023. From there, my journey changed.”
The road to international success, however, had begun much earlier.
“Our family is middle class. We have a vegetable business. We earn and eat through that,” Jhandu said. “Even today, we still sell potatoes in our shop.”
Rahelu said Jhandu never allowed those circumstances to become an excuse.
“He comes from an economically weak family. He worked on his own to support himself. He sold vegetables on the roadside and even drove an e-rickshaw. But he always believed that if you have passion, you can achieve anything. Today, he has proved it.”
Both athlete and coach believe India’s para sports ecosystem has changed significantly over the last decade. “When I was competing, para sports were not recognised the way they are today,” Rahelu said.
“I won a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but there was very little media coverage. Today, the media is supporting para sports, the government is supporting athletes and the Prime Minister is also congratulating us. The entire environment has changed.”
Jhandu believes the domestic competition structure has also helped athletes prepare for the international stage.
“We have a very good national championship structure now. These competitions give us confidence before international events. After competing in India, we went to China and won a bronze medal. Then we competed in Egypt and improved our ranking. We also won a medal at the Asian Championships in Thailand.”
Despite the Commonwealth medal, neither Jhandu nor his coach is thinking about taking a break.
Rahelu revealed that soon after the competition, he asked Jhandu about his plans once the team returned to India. “I thought he would go home to Bihar after such a big achievement,” Rahelu said.
“But he told me, ‘Sir, I am not going to Bihar. I will go straight back to the training centre. I can visit home later. I don’t want to waste training time.’ That tells you everything about his dedication.”
Jhandu’s focus is already on the next target.
“I want to do well at the Asian Games and ultimately win a medal for India at the Paralympics. I’ll give our best for the country.”
Rahelu’s roadmap is no different than his student’s.
“We are preparing for the Asian Para Games, but our ultimate target is the Paralympic Games. Everything we are doing is aimed towards that.”
For now, Jhandu’s Commonwealth bronze has given India its first medal of the Games. For the young man who once sold vegetables and drove an e-rickshaw to support his family, it is another step in a journey that both he and his coach believe is only just beginning.
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