Former weightlifting champion, Karnam Malleswari has given India a number of reasons to be proud. Take a look at why her life is an inspiration to many.
For ages, women have always been put into boxes, especially with their career options. Despite all the restrictions and limitations that society imposes on them, there are a bunch of amazing women who go beyond them and find and do what they love. One such inspiration is India's former weightlifter champion, Karnam Malleswari.
Karnam Malleswari hails from a small village Voosavanipeta in Andhra Pradesh along with four sisters who are equally trained in weightlifting. She began training for weightlifting from her coach Neelamshetty Appanna at the age of 12. She was spotted by Indian sports authorities when she and her sister moved to Delhi to further their weightlifting training. This paved her way in joining the national camp that led to her World Championship journey.
The weightlifting category in India was honoured with laurels, thanks to Karnam and her dedication and hard work for the sport. Bringing home a silver in 1994 at the World Championships in Istanbul and winning the Asian Weightlifting Championships in 1995, Karnam placed her name in the world. She continued to make her mark in Korea in the 54 kg category. With a record lift of 113 kg at the World Championships, she won the title in China that year. Malleswari was a two-time weightlifting world champion with 29 international medals, which includes 11 gold medals. Karnam is the first Indian woman to have won a medal at the Olympic.
The Indian government has honoured her contribution in the field of sports and for her inspiration for millions of young sports enthusiasts with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1995 and the highest sports honours for civilians, the Padma Shri award in 1999.
/)
Thank you, Karnam, for being a living proof that there is nothing women can't do.
/socialketchup/media/agency_attachments/oTmmYmTemGaSn2TxEWbL.png)
Follow Us/socialketchup/media/post_banners/wOgk4F9NgrjnTbSzimu0.jpg)
/socialketchup/media/media_files/zgCOXtVzzE34YN2gSiiR.png)