Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday felicitated para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar, who won India’s first medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, and presented him with a cash award of ₹10 lakh in recognition of his achievement.
Jhandu secured the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event with a best lift of 190kg, opening India’s medal account at the Games.
The felicitation ceremony was held at the Sports Minister’s residence in New Delhi, where Mandaviya congratulated the 29-year-old athlete on his performance and interacted with him about his experience at the Commonwealth Games.
Expressing his gratitude, Jhandu said meeting the Union Sports Minister was a memorable moment in his life.
“I felt privileged to meet the Union Sports Minister today. Not many people get an opportunity to meet a Central Minister in their lifetime. I never imagined that I would be felicitated for my achievement in sports. Dr. Mandaviya asked me about my experience in Scotland, and it was a great feeling to interact with him,” he said.
Jhandu’s journey to the international podium has been one of perseverance. Hailing from Harnaut in Bihar’s Nalanda district, he previously sold vegetables and drove an e-rickshaw to support his family before being identified by chief para coach Rajender Rahelu and selected to train at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Gandhinagar in June 2023.
The para powerlifter also recalled the encouragement he received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who congratulated him on social media after his medal-winning performance.
“I have hardly slept since winning the medal because of the excitement. My phone has been constantly ringing. I was overwhelmed when the Hon’ble Prime Minister wrote about my achievement on social media. I believe Indian sports has reached this level because of his continuous encouragement and support for athletes,” Jhandu said.
Before his success in Glasgow, Jhandu had established himself as one of India’s promising para powerlifters by winning a silver medal at the Khelo India Para Games 2024 and a gold medal at the 2025 edition.
With the Commonwealth Games behind him, the Khelo India athlete has now shifted his focus to the Asian Para Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24, 2026.
Jhandu said he would briefly return to his hometown to meet his family before resuming training in Gandhinagar for the continental event.
“When you receive such support from the country’s leadership, it motivates you to perform even better. I will return to training after meeting my family and do my best to win a medal for India at the Asian Para Games,” he said.
