NEW DELHI: For years, Jhandu Kumar’s days began at a vegetable market and ended in a gym. When life became tougher during the COVID-19 pandemic, he swapped the market for an e-rickshaw, working long hours to support his family while refusing to give up on his dream of representing India.On Friday in Glasgow, that dream turned into reality. The para powerlifter from Bihar won bronze in the men’s heavyweight event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, claiming India’s first para powerlifting medal of the competition. As the medal was placed around his neck, the emotions of years of sacrifice came rushing back.“I feel as if I’m flying. This is my first medal. Only one thing was going through my mind: that I have to win the medal. Just have to win,” Jhandu told ANI.The journey to the Commonwealth podium was anything but easy.

From hardship to hope

Affected by polio at the age of five, Jhandu battled both physical and financial challenges from an early age. His family’s vegetable shop in Harnaut Bazaar, Nalanda district, was forced to shut temporarily during the pandemic due to the construction of an overbridge. To keep the household running, he began driving an e-rickshaw.Yet even then, training remained non-negotiable.“Every day I used to travel nearly 20km to Bihar Sharif to buy vegetables, bring them back and sell them in the market. After finishing work around 4 pm, I would go to the gym for training,” he had told TOI before the Games.Money was always tight. His daily earnings of Rs 400-500 barely covered household expenses, while protein supplements alone cost nearly Rs 1,000. Eventually, he sold his e-rickshaw in 2023 to compete at the National Para Powerlifting Championships, a gamble that initially failed after he could not register a successful lift.

The breakthrough that changed everything

Instead of giving up, Jhandu caught the attention of national coach Rajinder Singh Rahelu, who invited him to train at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar. That opportunity transformed his career. He went on to win silver at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games, followed by medals at national and international competitions, including bronze at the Asia-Oceania Open Para Powerlifting Championships.In Glasgow, Jhandu lifted 190kg to secure bronze after opening with 181kg. He even attempted a Commonwealth Games record of 196kg in his final lift, but fell just short.Despite missing the record, the medal meant everything.“I’m very grateful that they let me practice so much and gave me so much love. I feel very good. I’ll try to do even better in the future,” he said.He also thanked the Sports Authority of India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for backing his journey.ALSO READ: From doubt to dominance: Jadumani Singh’s career-changing move to 55kg fuels CWG dream“I’m extremely grateful to them. We practice there, and this medal belongs to them, in a way,” he said.For Jhandu Kumar, the bronze medal is more than a sporting achievement. It is proof that determination, sacrifice and unwavering belief can lift a person far beyond the weight on the bar.