PM Narendra Modi congratulated para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar after he won India’s first medal at CWG 2026, securing bronze in the men’s heavyweight event.
Bronze medalist India's Jhandu Kumar celebrates during the medal ceremony for the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Photo: IANS/Biplab Banerjee)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar after the Indian athlete won the country’s first medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, securing bronze in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event in Glasgow.
Taking to X, the Prime Minister praised Jhandu’s resilience and dedication, saying his achievement reflected years of hard work and perseverance while inspiring millions across the country.
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“A spectacular performance by Jhandu Kumar, who has opened India’s medal tally at the #CWG2026 by winning a Bronze in the Men’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting event! Congratulations to him. His achievement is a powerful reflection of immense strength, unwavering determination and years of disciplined effort. By overcoming every challenge and excelling on the international stage, he has made the entire nation proud and inspired countless Indians,” Modi wrote.
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A spectacular performance by Jhandu Kumar, who has opened India’s medal tally at the #CWG2026 by winning a Bronze in the Men’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting event! Congratulations to him. His achievement is a powerful reflection of immense strength, unwavering determination and… pic.twitter.com/kMdkU6RRAF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 25, 2026
Jhandu claimed bronze with a best successful lift of 190kg, earning 130.9 points to hand India its first podium finish of the Glasgow Games.
The Indian lifter opened with a successful 181kg lift for 124.7 points before improving to 190kg on his second attempt, briefly moving to the top of the standings.
With gold still within reach, Jhandu opted for 196kg on his final attempt—a lift that would have surpassed the Commonwealth Games record set at Birmingham 2022. However, he was unable to complete the lift and ultimately settled for the bronze medal.
The result also marked India’s first para powerlifting medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Earlier, Ashok narrowly missed out on the podium after finishing fourth in the men’s lightweight event with a personal-best lift of 200kg, scoring 143.8 points. Paramjeet Kumar placed seventh in the same category with a best lift of 176kg.
In the women’s lightweight competition, Jaspreet Kaur finished sixth with a successful lift of 100kg, while Suman Devi placed seventh after also lifting 100kg.
Meanwhile, Kasthuri Rajamani endured a disappointing outing in the women’s heavyweight category, failing to register a valid lift after three unsuccessful attempts.
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