From local gyms to global podiums: The new wave of Indian weightlifters

Indian weightlifting has long carried stories of grit, strength, and resilience. Karnam Malleswari remains the sport’s pioneering icon, winning bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics — the first Olympic medal for an Indian woman, and the first for Indian weightlifting. Her achievement turned the spotlight on a sport that had often lived in the shadows of cricket and athletics.

Alongside her, Kunjarani Devi forged an illustrious career across the 1990s and early 2000s, amassing more than 50 international medals. Her consistency at the World Championships and Asian meets showed Indian lifters could stand tall against the best from China, Thailand, and North Korea.

Fast forward to the modern era, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has become the face of Indian weightlifting. A 2017 World Champion and 2020 Olympic silver medallist, she embodies discipline and technical finesse. Mirabai’s achievements rekindled national pride in the sport and inspired hundreds of young athletes to believe that global medals are within reach.

Other names such as Sathish Sivalingam, Vikas Thakur, Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu and Punam Yadav also brought glory at the Commonwealth Games, sustaining India’s presence on the international stage. These stalwarts laid the foundation and today’s generation is building on it with unprecedented success at the youth and junior levels.

The youth and junior revolution (2020–2025)

The real shift in Indian weightlifting has unfolded over the past five years. For the first time, India is not celebrating isolated prodigies but entire squads of teenagers and juniors who are winning medals at the World and Asian Championships.

In 2022, Harshada Garud etched her name in history by becoming the first Indian to win gold at the IWF Junior World Championships in Heraklion, Greece. Competing in the women’s 45 kg, she demonstrated composure beyond her years, proving that Indian lifters could rise to the top at the global junior stage.

The same year, Sanapathi Gurunaidu captured gold at the IWF Youth World Championships in the men’s 55 kg, signaling the depth of India’s boys’ program. His explosive power and confident execution reflected the structured training systems now available to young lifters.

Momentum continued in 2024, when India produced two more world champions at the Youth Worlds. Preetismita Bhoi, only 15, stunned the field in the women’s 40 kg with a youth world record clean & jerk of 76 kg. Her win showed that Indian lifters could match global standards in technical precision and strength at a very young age. In the men’s 73 kg, Bedabrat Bharali claimed gold, giving India a rare title in the heavier categories.

India’s collective performance at the 2024 Asian Youth & Junior Championships in Doha was unprecedented: over 30 medals, including seven golds, across boys’ and girls’ divisions. These results revealed something new — India is no longer dependent on one or two standout athletes. Instead, an entire generation is emerging together, creating depth across weight classes.

Crucially, many of these juniors are already bridging into senior success. Jeremy Lalrinnunga, the 2018 Youth Olympic gold medallist, overcame injuries to win 67 kg gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Achinta Sheuli, a former world junior medallist, set a Games record total of 313 kg to secure CWG gold the same year. On the women’s side, Bindyarani Devi has risen quickly, winning silver at CWG 2022 and medalling at the Asian Championships, joining Mirabai in leading the senior women’s squad.

Together, these transitions prove that India’s young lifters are no longer fading after youth success — they are converting early promise into medals at the senior level.

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Infrastructure: Building the pathway

There are several initiatives that are paving the way for development.

Khelo India: Grassroots to global

The Khelo India scheme has been pivotal in this transformation. By providing scholarships, access to scientific training, and exposure at a young age, it has ensured that talent discovered in villages and small towns does not get lost due to lack of resources. Many of the current youth champions are direct beneficiaries of this support system.

Sports authority of India’s centres of excellence

The SAI National Centres of Excellence at Patiala, Imphal, and Itanagar have become high-performance hubs. Equipped with calibrated weights, video analysis systems, and full-time support staff, they have allowed lifters to train in environments that mirror international standards. This is a far cry from the improvised iron plates and makeshift gyms that once defined the sport.

TOPS: Supporting the elite

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has provided continuity. By funding overseas training camps, expert coaching, physiotherapy, and stipends, it ensures that India’s most promising athletes are prepared for the demands of senior international competition. Mirabai Chanu, Jeremy, and Achinta have all been nurtured under TOPS, and the program now increasingly supports juniors too.

Coaching and Sports Science: A new edge

The integration of sports science has been one of the biggest game-changers. Today, Indian lifters benefit from:

Biomechanical analysis of lifts to optimize bar paths.

Customized periodization cycles that match competition calendars.

Specialized nutrition for weight management and recovery.

Rehabilitation and physiotherapy to prevent long-term injuries.

This systematic approach has reduced the risk of overtraining and ensured athletes can peak at the right moment. The difference is evident in lifters like Jeremy, who managed injury setbacks to still claim medals, and Mirabai, who has sustained world-class performance for nearly a decade.

Challenges that remain

Despite these advances, challenges persist. Grassroots infrastructure outside major centers often remains inadequate, with many young athletes still training on unsafe equipment. Coaching education at the district level is uneven, and not all trainers are updated with modern periodization or injury-management practices.

The transition from youth to senior levels is another delicate phase. Lifters often struggle with shifting weight classes as they mature physically. Without careful long-term planning, some risk plateauing or succumbing to injuries. Addressing these issues requires widening access to equipment, upgrading coach training programs, and building more regional centers.

A future full of promise

The transformation of Indian weightlifting over the past five years is not just about medals — it is about belief. For decades, India celebrated isolated champions like Malleswari or Mirabai. Today, thanks to Khelo India, SAI, and TOPS, there is a system that consistently produces champions.

With junior world champions like Harshada Garud and youth world champions like Sanapathi Gurunaidu, Bedabrat Bharali, and Preetismita Bhoi, India has proof that the next decade could bring global parity. Senior athletes like Jeremy, Achinta, Bindyarani, and Mirabai show that this pipeline already delivers at the Commonwealth and Asian levels.

The real test will come at the Olympics and World Championships, where India is yet to match its youth dominance with senior consistency. But for the first time, the foundation exists. The new generation is fearless, technically sound, and backed by a system that believes in them.

From local gyms in Manipur, Odisha, and Assam to podiums in Greece, Mexico, and Doha, Indian weightlifting has rewritten its story.

The dream of seeing multiple Indian lifters stand on Olympic podiums in the near future is no longer distant. It is a horizon coming into focus — powered by the strength of a new wave.