After two days of unfortunate news for India, where weightlifter Dilbag Singh was withdrawn along with judokas Arun Kumar and Tulika Maan due to dope-related violations, bringing the contingent of 126 down to 123, Jhandu Kumar’s bronze medal in the heavyweight para powerlifting final comes as a massive relief as he opened India’s account at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Jhandu is 29 years old, son of a vegetable vendor in the small town of Harnaut in Nalanda district of Bihar. Needless to say, Jhandu comes from humble beginnings as his family has always been financially constrained. Successful lifts of 181 kg and 190 kg in the first two attempts, was enough to earn him a podium finish on Friday night.