India opened its medal account at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Friday with Jhandu Kumar clinching the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event, capping an extraordinary journey from poverty and disability to international success.
The 28-year-old lifter scored 130.9 points after successfully lifting 181 kg and 190 kg. He was unable to complete his third attempt at 196 kg, but his earlier lifts were enough to secure a place on the podium. Fellow Indian Sudhir finished sixth with 114.1 points.
Nigeria’s Idris Riluwan claimed the gold medal with 132.8 points, while Matthew Harding took silver with 131 points.
Kumar’s achievement marks a remarkable turnaround from his difficult childhood in Harnaut village in Bihar’s Nalanda district. Diagnosed with polio at the age of five, he grew up in a financially struggling family and helped his parents sell vegetables to support the household.
His sporting journey began between 2010 and 2012, when he started weight training to improve his physical strength. He later tried athletics, including shot put and javelin, before discovering his talent for para powerlifting.
Limited financial resources posed a major challenge throughout his career. Unable to afford the specialised nutrition required for high-performance training, Kumar continued working to support himself. He travelled nearly 20 kilometres to local markets to run a vegetable business despite not owning a wheelchair. Later, he borrowed money to purchase an e-rickshaw to earn a living, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those plans.
Despite these setbacks, Kumar remained committed to the sport, and his perseverance culminated in India’s first medal of the Games.
Earlier in the competition, Ashok Malik narrowly missed a podium finish in the men’s lightweight para powerlifting event, placing fourth with 143.8 points.
England’s Mark Swan won the gold medal with 153.9 points, edging Nigeria’s Roland Ezuruike, who also scored 153.9 points but finished with silver. Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin took the bronze with 153.5 points. India’s Paramjeet Kumar finished seventh with 135.6 points.
India’s challenge in the women’s events ended without a medal. Kasthuri Rajamani failed to register a successful lift in the women’s heavyweight final, while Jaspreet Kaur and Suman Devi also finished outside the medal positions in the women’s lightweight category.