Jhandu Kumar won the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, marking India’s first podium finish in para powerlifting at the Games. The 28-year-old lifted 190 kg on his second attempt at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow, finishing third with 130.9 points.
Jhandu’s father, Ramanand Paswan, recalled the challenges his son faced after contracting polio in 1990, which did not heal properly despite treatment in Lucknow, Kolkata, and Bihar. “He worked, drove a rickshaw, and sold biscuits,” Paswan said. “It feels wonderful after his win. We are living just as we always have. We live in a rented place.”
Jhandu’s mother, Kamala Devi, expressed hope that her son will receive a “good job” from the government. She highlighted the family’s struggles to reach this milestone and noted the teasing Jhandu endured. “My son drove an electric rickshaw (Toto); we earned everything like this, selling off everything, even selling potatoes, just to see this day. And now my son has won… Everyone used to tease him, but he used to say, ‘Wait and watch, Mother, I’ll prove myself.’… He went to the gym, and we supported him… Polio hit him at a very young age; we took him to so many doctors, but nothing happened… I am very happy today; I just want a good job for him from the government,” she said.
The Commonwealth Games para powerlifting medals are awarded using a bodyweight coefficient system rather than the weight lifted alone, combining competitors from various bodyweight categories into lightweight and heavyweight divisions. Jhandu began with a successful 181 kg lift and improved to 190 kg on his second attempt. His final lift of 196 kg, which would have set a new Commonwealth Games record established in Birmingham 2022, was unsuccessful, resulting in a third-place finish.
