On Thursday, Jhandu Singh won India its first medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, claiming bronze in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event. But the story of that medal began long before he stepped onto the podium. It was built on Harnaudh’s pavements in Bihar where he sold vegetables with his parents, inside an e-rickshaw he drove to fund his dream, and through years when chasing powerlifting often meant choosing between training and a proper meal.
Diagnosed with polio at the age of five, Singh grew up hearing people dismiss him. “Yeh ladka kuch nahi karega. They called me laawad, called me zero,” he recalls. “I didn’t know what I would become, but I knew that couldn’t be my story.”
His turning point came in the form of a tricycle. Riding it six to seven kilometres every day slowly transformed his body. “I started noticing muscles. My biceps grew, my triceps looked bigger. I’d stand in front of the mirror and think, wow, I actually look good.”
Curiosity took him to a neighbourhood gym in 2015. “I went just to watch others train. Ghar se gym jaata tha dheela, wapis aata tha pump ke saath. I loved the feeling.”
Powerlifting found him soon after. In 2019, he entered a local competition, winning gold, ₹500 and a box of protein. “I couldn’t sleep that night because I was so happy. That’s when I realised I had found my voice.”
The victories, however, did little to ease life at home. Singh sold vegetables with his father until a flyover project removed their pavement shop. To keep his sporting dream alive, he financed a ₹70,000 e-rickshaw, driving it through the day before heading to training every evening.
Then came the biggest gamble of his life. Ahead of the 2023 National Championships, he sold the e-rickshaw months in advance—at nearly half its value—to pay for training and nutrition. “I reached the nationals and didn’t win a single medal. I was shattered.”
Instead of walking away, he started over. Two months later came the phone call that changed everything. The Sports Authority of India inducted him into its programme, taking care of his coaching, diet and training.
That journey has now brought him to a Commonwealth podium. Yet, even after winning a medal for India, Singh says the fight isn’t over.
“I still struggle financially. I still go back and sell vegetables. My dream isn’t a big house or a fancy car. I just want my parents to retire. I hope one day my achievements on the field are enough to feed my family. Until then, I’ll keep grinding.”
