Jhandu Kumar’s journey from a small village in Bihar to the Commonwealth Games podium is filled with struggle, determination and some rather unexpected inspiration. The para powerlifter, who recently won India’s first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, revealed that a memorable moment from Salman Khan’s Dabangg played a role in changing the course of his life.
Jhandu appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati for a special episode, where he opened up about his journey and recalled how watching Salman Khan’s physique in the film inspired him to start working on his own body. What began as a desire to build strong arms and an impressive upper body eventually became the foundation for his sporting career.
Salman Khan’s Dabangg physique inspired Jhandu Kumar
Jhandu Kumar has previously spoken about how Dabangg inspired his interest in bodybuilding. In an interaction after his Commonwealth Games success, he recalled wanting an upper body like Salman Khan after watching the film. He eventually began going to a gym and training himself, despite having very limited resources. Reports have also quoted him saying that he would watch videos on a borrowed phone to learn about training and exercise.
During his KBC appearance, Jhandu revisited that memory and explained how a particular moment in Dabangg caught his attention. The scene in which Salman Khan’s shirt tears during the climax, revealing his muscular upper body, left a lasting impression on him.
For Jhandu, it was not simply a movie moment. It became an inspiration to build his own physique.
From wanting Salman Khan’s physique to becoming an athlete
Jhandu’s initial interest was bodybuilding, but his journey eventually took him into para sports.
He began competing in para athletics in 2017, taking part in shot put and discus throw. His strength and interest in weight training eventually led him towards para powerlifting. Local coaches noticed his potential, and his sporting journey began to take a more serious direction.
His rise was far from easy. Jhandu comes from Harnaut in Bihar’s Nalanda district and is the son of a roadside vegetable vendor. He helped his family by selling vegetables and later drove an e-rickshaw to earn money. The demanding work left him physically exhausted and made it difficult to train consistently.
In 2023, he eventually sold his e-rickshaw to fund his training and participation in the National Championships. Although that competition ended in disappointment after he failed to register a successful lift, the setback led to a major turning point when Paralympic medallist Rajinder Singh Rahelu spotted his potential and helped him join the Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar.
Jhandu Kumar’s journey reaches the Commonwealth Games podium
Years after he first entered a gym inspired by a Bollywood superstar, Jhandu Kumar stood on an international podium.
At the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he lifted 190 kg in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event to win the bronze medal and give India its first medal of the Games. He attempted 196 kg with his final lift, which would have put him in contention for an even bigger achievement, but was unable to complete it.
His achievement was particularly significant because it marked India’s first podium finish in para powerlifting at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Before reaching that stage, Jhandu had already established himself as a leading Indian para powerlifter. He set a national record of 206 kg at the Khelo India Para Games and won international bronze medals, including at the 2025 World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Beijing.
From a Bollywood-inspired dream to a sporting success story
Jhandu Kumar’s story has an unusual starting point. A scene featuring Salman Khan in Dabangg sparked his interest in developing his physique, but what followed was much bigger than simply building muscles.
The gym introduced him to strength training, strength training eventually opened the door to para powerlifting, and years of sacrifice transformed that early inspiration into an international sporting career.
Today, the man who once wanted an upper body like Salman Khan has a Commonwealth Games bronze medal to his name and a much bigger target ahead. Jhandu has already spoken about his ambition of competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
From helping his father sell vegetables to driving an e-rickshaw, selling that vehicle to fund his training and eventually standing on a Commonwealth Games podium, Jhandu Kumar’s journey proves that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places.
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