Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 12:36pm on 25 Jul 2026,Saturday Sports
Jhandu Kumar became India's first official medallist at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after winning bronze in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event. Weighing 72.4 kg, he lifted 190 kg on his second attempt before narrowly missing 196 kg, eventually finishing third. Born in Bihar's Nalanda district to a vegetable vendor, Jhandu has battled polio since birth and overcame financial and physical hardships to reach the international stage. He began his sporting career in shot put and discus before switching to para powerlifting. Trained by Paralympian Rajinder Singh Rahelu, Jhandu set national records in 2025 and later won bronze at the Beijing World Cup and Asian Championships.
