From e-rickshaw driver to Commonwealth medallist: How SAI Gandhinagar shaped Jhandu Kumar

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], September 5 (ANI): For para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar, the road to the Commonwealth Games podium was not just a sporting journey but a transformation made possible by determination, coaching and access to a high-performance training ecosystem at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Gandhinagar.
Jhandu, who once sold vegetables and drove an e-rickshaw to support his family, went on to win a bronze medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after successfully lifting 190 kg in the heavyweight category of para powerlifting.
Speaking about SAI’s contribution to his journey, Jhandu said the organisation played an 80-90 per cent role in his development as an athlete.
“Yes, SAI’s (Sports Authority of India) contribution is at least 80-90%. When I got selected here at SAI in 2023, back then I used to bench press only 50 kg. Coming from my village, my performance wasn’t there yet. But after joining SAI, my overall performance began to improve significantly. So in that sense, SAI has played a huge role,” he said.
He said the centre provides facilities including training, physiotherapy and diet, while praising the support extended by the people working there.
“Everything is available here—facilities, training, physiotherapy, proper diet—and the people here are wonderful and very supportive to interact with,” Jhandu said.
Jhandu said diet and training were the most essential factors for an athlete and that the facilities available at SAI had helped him maintain both.
“The biggest aspect is our coach; the way he trains us with high discipline. Also, the diet here is top quality, and we have full access to physiotherapists and other resources. Everything is designed to be genuinely helpful for the athlete,” he said.
He also highlighted the improvement in facilities since he joined the centre in 2023.
“Initially when I came, facilities were a bit limited, but now there are many more facilities—in terms of diet, tournament support, and equipment. For instance, earlier we had only two benches; now we have four Eleiko benches, which are the standard ones used internationally,” Jhandu said.
Recalling his progress since joining SAI, he said, “When I first came in 2023, I had virtually no facilities. From that state, I went on to win international medals. I competed in 2024 as well—went to China for my first tournament and won my first medal. This shows how great the facilities here are; everything is top-notch and excellent.”
Jhandu said his next goal was to set a world record and that he would give his best at the upcoming Asian Games.
“My dream is to set a world record, and I definitely will. It may take some time, but I will create a world record. Next, we have the Asian Games in about one and a half to two months. I am participating in it and will surely give my best performance,” he said.
On his current preparations, Jhandu said he had resumed training after taking a brief break following the Commonwealth Championships.
“Training is going very well right now. I had taken a brief break after returning with a win from the Commonwealth Championships. Now I’ve restarted training with complete focus, and I’m dedicated to giving it my 100%,” he said.
Jhandu’s coach said SAI’s NCOEs were providing athletes with the infrastructure and environment required to progress from the grassroots level to international competition.
“SAI is playing a huge role. The NCOEs (National Centres of Excellence) set up by SAI are providing excellent facilities to the athletes. For intermediate athletes coming up from the grassroots level, SAI provides complete infrastructure and the ideal environment, helping them reach the level where they can win international medals. So currently, SAI has contributed immensely to para-sports,” the coach said.
Speaking specifically about powerlifting, the coach said the Gandhinagar centre offered world-class facilities.
“I believe this is India’s premier para-powerlifting centre offering world-class facilities provided by SAI. For example, the benches we use for bench press are the exact same ones used in the Paralympic and Asian Games. They are imported from Sweden and not made locally,” the coach said.
He added that the powerlifting hall had recovery facilities such as sauna and steam rooms, along with sports science support.
“Overall, this is truly a world-class centre for powerlifting. Another centre is running in Lucknow, which we are also developing gradually,” he said.
The coach also highlighted the importance given to athletes’ diet and said SAI continuously incorporates feedback from athletes returning from high-level competitions.
“A very high priority! There is day-to-day improvement at SAI. Whenever an athlete returns from a high-level competition, we gather their feedback about the food, what they liked, and what needs improvement. Constant enhancements are being made to ensure we provide them with world-class nutrition,” he said.
The coach said the Gandhinagar centre was an important hub for para-athletes and that SAI had a significant role in preparing the national-level team.
“As I mentioned, this Gandhinagar centre is an extremely vital hub for para-athletes, and it is currently our only dedicated para-sports centre. Our sports are seeing great growth from here, and our athletes are making progress,” he said.
“In powerlifting, 7 athletes competed in the Commonwealth Championships, 5 of whom were associated with SAI. Now, 8 to 9 athletes are heading to the Asian Games, where 80–90% of the squad is supported by/associated with SAI. Thus, SAI plays a massive role in preparing a national-level team,” the coach added.
Looking ahead to the Asian Games, the coach said the team was targeting top medals.
“Absolutely, every athlete desires to bring home a gold medal. Our preparation for the Commonwealth was also targeted towards gold, but there were some minor hurdles—I couldn’t be on stage with them as a coach, which caused a slight issue. Nevertheless, we are giving our full effort to secure gold and top medals at the Asian Games,” he said.
“In my opinion, our performance in powerlifting will be better than all previous Asian Games,” the coach added. (ANI)