Chirag Paswan hails Bihar's Jhandu Kumar on CWG 2026 para gold
Synopsis
Jhandu Kumar of Nalanda, Bihar claimed India's first medal in men's heavyweight para powerlifting at Commonwealth Games 2026. Union Minister Chirag Paswan personally called Kumar to congratulate him, and praised the athlete for silencing those who once mocked his name by raising India's flag on the world stage.
Key Takeaways
Jhandu Kumar from Nalanda, Bihar won India's first medal in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event at Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan personally called Kumar on July 28, 2026 to congratulate him on the achievement.
Paswan publicly addressed those who once mocked Kumar's name, calling the medal a proud rebuttal on the world stage.
Para powerlifting is part of India's growing para sport participation at major multi-nation games.
Kumar's win adds to Bihar's sporting profile, with Paswan — whose political base is in Bihar — amplifying the achievement nationally.
A man once mocked for his name just raised India's flag on the world stage. Jhandu Kumar, a para powerlifter from Nalanda, Bihar, won India's first medal in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 — and Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan was among the first to call him with congratulations on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
The call that followed the medal
Paswan did not just post — he picked up the phone. In his message, the minister confirmed he personally congratulated Kumar on what he called a 'historic achievement.' Writing in Hindi, Paswan said: 'Bharat ka jhanda vishwa manch par garv se ooncha kar sakta hai' — 'this very Jhandu can raise India's flag proudly on the world stage.' It was a pointed nod to those who once ridiculed Kumar's name, turning the taunt into a punchline for the doubters.
Nalanda's champion and the name that became a rallying cry
Jhandu Kumar hails from Nalanda — a district in Bihar whose name carries centuries of scholarly legacy. His own name, colloquially associated with a popular balm brand and used dismissively in everyday Hindi, became the centrepiece of Paswan's tribute. The minister framed Kumar's medal as a rebuttal delivered not in words but in performance, on one of sport's largest multi-nation stages. Chirag Paswan, whose political base is rooted in Bihar, has consistently used his platform to amplify athletes from the state.
Para powerlifting's growing footprint at the Commonwealth Games
Para powerlifting has steadily expanded its presence within India's Commonwealth Games programme, part of a broader push to integrate para sport into the country's mainstream international competition calendar. A medal in the heavyweight category — among the most physically demanding classifications — carries particular weight. India's overall para contingent performance at Glasgow 2026 will be closely watched as the Games progress.
A boy from Nalanda, a name turned into a jibe, and now a medal at Glasgow. The doubters have their answer.
Point of View
Tying Bihar's pride to a para athlete's international breakthrough. Indian ministers routinely amplify home-state sporting success on social media, but the narrative Paswan constructed here — the mocked name becoming a national symbol — gives the moment unusual resonance and shareability. For the LJP(RV), whose electoral fortunes are deeply tied to Bihar, celebrating a Nalanda athlete at a global stage costs nothing and earns significant goodwill. The broader arc is India's incremental mainstreaming of para sport, where individual stories of adversity and triumph are becoming the most effective political and cultural currency.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jhandu Kumar?
Jhandu Kumar is a para powerlifter from Nalanda, Bihar, who won India's first medal in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
What did Chirag Paswan say about Jhandu Kumar?
Union Minister Chirag Paswan congratulated Jhandu Kumar via a personal phone call and praised him on social media, saying that the same 'Jhandu' who was once mocked for his name has raised India's flag proudly on the world stage.
Where are the Commonwealth Games 2026 being held?
The Commonwealth Games 2026 are being held in Glasgow, Scotland.
What is para powerlifting at the Commonwealth Games?
Para powerlifting is a competitive discipline for athletes with physical impairments, contested across weight categories including the heavyweight class in which Jhandu Kumar won India's first medal at CWG 2026.
Why did Chirag Paswan mention people mocking Jhandu Kumar's name?
Paswan addressed the fact that 'Jhandu' is a name often used dismissively or mockingly in everyday Hindi, and he used Kumar's medal to make the point that the same man had now represented India with distinction at a global sporting event.
