From vegetable seller to e-rickshaw driver, now India’s first CWG 2026 medalist: How Bihar’s Jhandu Kumar defied all odds

NEW DELHI: For years, Jhandu Kumar’s days began at the vegetable market and ended at the gym. When life got tougher during the COVID-19 pandemic, he traded 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 became a reality. The 28-year-old para powerlifter from Bihar bagged bronze in the men’s heavyweight category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, bagging India’s first medal in the para powerlifting event. As the medal was placed around his neck, the emotions of years of sacrifice returned to him.“I feel like I’m flying. This is my first medal. Only one thing was going through my mind: I have to win a medal. I have to win,” Jhandu told ANI.The journey to the Commonwealth podium was anything but easy.

From hardship to hope

Afflicted with polio at the age of five, Jhandu struggled with both physical and financial problems from an early age. His family’s vegetable shop in Harnaut Bazaar, Nalanda district, was forced to close temporarily during the pandemic due to the construction of a flyover. To keep the household going, he started driving an e-rickshaw.Yet even then, training remained non-negotiable.“Every day I would drive nearly 20 km 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 told TOI ahead of the games.Money was always scarce. His daily earnings of Rs 400-500 barely covered household expenses, while protein supplements alone cost nearly Rs 1,000. He eventually sold his e-rickshaw in 2023 to compete in 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 Rahela, who invited him to train at the Sports Authority of India’s National Center of Excellence in Gandhinagar. This opportunity changed his career. He won silver at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games, followed by medals at national and international competitions, including a 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 short.Despite the missing record, the medal meant everything.“I am very grateful that they let me practice so much and gave me so much love. I feel very good. I will try to be even better in the future,” he said.He also thanked the Sports Authority of India and Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for supporting his journey.READ ALSO: From Doubt to Dominance: Jadumani Singh’s Career Transition to 55kg Fuels CWG dream“I am extremely grateful to them. We train there and this medal belongs to them in a way,” he said.For Jhanda Kumar, the bronze medal is more than just a sporting achievement. It is proof that determination, dedication and unwavering faith can lift a person far beyond the weight on the bar.