New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar after the Indian athlete clinched the country's first medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, winning bronze in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event in Glasgow.

Sharing a picture of Jhandu on X, the Prime Minister hailed the para powerlifter's achievement and praised his perseverance.

'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,' he wrote.

Jhandu secured the bronze medal with a best successful lift of 190kg, earning 130.9 points to open India's medal account at the Glasgow Games.

The Indian began his campaign with a lift of 181kg, scoring 124.7 points, before improving to 190kg in his second attempt, which briefly put him at the top of the standings.

With the gold medal still within reach, Jhandu attempted 196kg in his final lift, a weight that would have eclipsed the Commonwealth Games record set at Birmingham 2022. However, he was unable to complete the lift and eventually finished third to claim the bronze.

The medal also marked India's first podium finish in para powerlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Earlier in the competition, Ashok narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the men's lightweight final with a personal-best lift of 200kg, scoring 143.8 points. Paramjeet Kumar placed seventh in the same event with a best lift of 176kg.

In the women's lightweight competition, Jaspreet Kaur finished sixth after lifting 100kg, while Suman Devi ended seventh with the same successful lift. Kasthuri Rajamani, competing in the women's heavyweight category, failed to register a valid lift after all three of her attempts were unsuccessful. (ANI)