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New Indian Express
20-07-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Battling poverty, Bhavani powers to Asian Weightlifting Gold
VIZIANAGARAM: Braving poverty and adverse social conditions, the mason's daughter had built a career in sports lifting three gold medals and making her way to the preparatory mat at Patiala for the ensuing 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held at Glasgow, Scotland. Seventeen year old Reddy Bhavani won triple gold in weightlifting in the Asian Youth and Junior Championships held at Astana in Kazakhstan. The lift and gold were not that easy for the teenager, daughter of a mason, who had to overcome poverty and challenging situations in academics. Bhavani hails from a tiny village Konda Karakam and is second of three sisters and her father Reddy Adinaaryana works as a mason for livelihood. Despite the lack of proper training facilities and nutritious food, she excelled in various tournaments and her story resonates the importance of passion, perseverance, and the potential for individuals to overcome adversity and achieve fame as Bhavvani is now undergoing at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala for the ensuing Commonwealth Games. It has been her mother Madhavi's strong desire to make her daughters as sports persons that was the drive that led to the success of Bhavani. The mother took her to the sports stadium and was put under the tutelage of Challa Rami who had coached international weightlifters including Moida Ramakrishana, K Venkatalaxmi. Bhavani joined coaching in 2018 from Challa Ramu, and underwent training until she was selected for Sports Training Center (STC), Eluru in 2022. Bhavani was selected for nationals and won the bronze medal at Bhuvaneswar in 2021. The father had to sell their house for the marriage of his eldest daughter. Watching the situation, Bhavani decided to give up the sport, but moved by her situation, Gadipalli Anand, a weightlifting coach, gave the much needed support financially. She was then selected for National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Aurangabad established by Sports Authority of India (SAI) for nationals and is undergoing trails for 2026 Commonwealth Games.


Hans India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
PM praises Harshvardhan in ‘Mann Ki Baat'
Berhampur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised a 16-year-old weightlifter from Odisha, who set two new national records in weightlifting in the recently concluded Khelo India Youth Games-2025 in Bihar. 'The brilliant performances of Asmita Dhone of Maharashtra, Harshvardhan Sahu of Odisha and Tushar Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh in the weightlifting competition won everyone's heart,' Modi said in the 122nd edition of his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' aired on Sunday. 'I was very much surprised when our Prime Minister mentioned my name along with some other Khelo India participants in his Mann Ki Baat address,' said Sahu, who is now taking training at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala. 'I have been encouraged by his address and will try to do better in the coming events and grateful to him,' he said. A resident of Haradakhandi in Berhampur, Harshvardhan has bagged a gold medal and set new records in the 7th Khelo India Youth Game (Under 18) held in Bihar from May 4 to 15. In the 49-kg category, Harshvardhan lifted 88 kg in snatch and record-breaking 115 kg in clean and jerk, totalling 203 kg. He has broken the previous record of 202 kg set by Jharkhand's Babulal Hembrom. Before participating in Khelo India, he had bagged a bronze medal by lifting 197 kg (snatch 87 kg, clean and jerk 110 kg) in the World Youth Championships held at Lima in Peru. Harshvardhan belongs to a middle-class family and his father is a small businessman. He was taking training at the Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune, before shifting to NSNIS. Young weightlifters in the country, particularly in Odisha, will be encouraged as the Prime Minister mentioned the name of the young weightlifting prodigies, including Harshvardhan from the State,' said K Ravi Kumar, Arjuna award winner in weightlifting. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, State minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena and several MLAs of Ganjam district thanked the Prime Minister for naming Harshvardhan in 'Mann Ki Baat'. 'We are very much grateful to the Prime Minister for taking the name of Harshvardhan of Berhampur,' said Jena, the State's Commerce and Transport Minister. Berhampur has produced several renowned weightlifters, which brought fame not only for the State but also for the country, said K Anil Kumar, MLA of Berhampur.


Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
PM praises young Ganjam weightlifter in Mann Ki Baat
Berhampur: on Sunday praised a 16-year old weightlifter from Berhampur, who set two new national records in the recently concluded Khelo India Youth Games-2025 in Bihar. "The brilliant performances of Asmita Dhone of Maharashtra, Harshvardhan Sahu of Odisha, and Tushar Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh in the weightlifting competition won everyone's heart," Modi said in the 122nd edition of his ' ' radio address. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "I was surprised when the PM mentioned my name along with other Khelo India participants in his Mann Ki Baat address," said Sahu who is now training at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. "I feel encouraged by his praise and will try to do better in the coming events," he said. A resident of Haradakhandi here, Sahu bagged a gold medal and set new records in the 7th Khelo India Youth Games held from May 4 to 15. In the 49-kg category, Harshvardhan lifted 88 kg in snatch and a record 115 kg in clean and jerk, totalling 203 kg. He broke the previous record of 202 kg set by Jharkhand's Babulal Hembrom. He had secured a bronze by lifting 197 kg (87 kg in snatch and 110 kg in clean and jerk) in the World Youth Championships at Lima. Hailing from a middle class family, Harshvardhan started practising weightlifting at a private club here. Before shifting to Patiala, he trained at Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune. "Young weightlifters, particularly those in Odisha will be encouraged after the PM's praise," said K Ravi Kumar, an Arjuna award winner. Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida, commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena and several MLAs of Ganjam district thanked PM Modi for praising Harshvardhan.


Hans India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
BFI names 19-member squad for Thailand Open
New Delhi: The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has announced a 19-member squad for the 4th Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament, scheduled in Bangkok from May 24 to June 1. The squad, comprising 10 men and 9 women—has been selected from the ongoing elite national camp at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, which is underway as the season builds toward key tournaments. The BFI said it followed a selection criterion, providing opportunities to silver medallists from the 2025 Elite Men's and Women's National Championships. Held under the aegis of Asian Boxing, the Thailand Open will see top national teams from across the continent compete, including powerhouses like China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Japan, Korea, and host nation Thailand. Speaking on the occasion, BFI president-chairman, Interim Committee, Ajay Singh said, 'With the team set to leave for the Thailand Open, we're entering a very exciting phase for Indian boxing. This marks the beginning of a packed international calendar, with the World Cup stage tournament in Kazakhstan, the World Championship in Liverpool, the World Cup Finals in New Delhi, and several key tournaments, including the Asian Championship, lined up towards the end of the year. "We have prioritised performance and transparency in our selection process—every boxer has earned their place through hard work and consistency. The national camp is already underway, and with the level of talent and structure now in place, I believe we are well-positioned to make a strong global impact in the months ahead. The Patiala camp initially brought together 60 male and 60 female boxers, shortlisted from standout performers at the 2025 Nationals and gold and silver medallists from the 2024 REC Combined National Talent Hunt in Rohtak and the Chief of Army Staff Cup in Pune. Following a round of internal assessments, the pool was pruned to 40 in each category. This refined core group will continue training through June, with additional athletes from an upcoming Elite Women's Competition joining in July. The Thailand Open marks an important international outing in India's boxing calendar, providing a platform for elite boxers to test themselves against Asia's best, with momentum building toward the World Boxing Cup later this year. Men's squad: Naothoi Singh Kongkham (47–50kg), Pawan Bartwal (50–55kg), Nikhil (55–60kg), Amit Kumar (60–65kg), Hemant Yadav (65–70kg), Deepak (70–75kg), Dhruv Singh (75–80kg), Jugnoo (80–85kg), Naman Tanwar (85–90kg), and Anshul Gill (90kg+). Women's sqaud: Yasika Rai (45–48kg), Tamanna (48–51kg), Abha Singh (51–54kg), Priya (54–57kg), Sanju (57–60kg), Saneh (65–70kg), Anjali (70–75kg), Lalfakmawii Ralte (75–80kg), and Kiran (80kg+). No boxer has been named in the women's 60–65kg category for this edition.


News18
22-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Boxing Federation Of India Names 19-Member Unit Ahead Of Thailand Open
Last Updated: The event is scheduled to be held in Bangkok between May 24 and June 1, with 10 male boxers and 9 women pugilists set to represent the Indian tricolour. The Boxing Federation of India named the 19-member unit for the 4th edition of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament on Thursday. The event is scheduled to be held in Bangkok between May 24 and June 1, with 10 male boxers and 9 women pugilists set to represent the Indian tricolour. The boxers have been picked from the elite national camp at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala. 'With the team set to leave for the Thailand Open, we're entering a very exciting phase for Indian boxing," BFI president-chairman, Interim Committee, Ajay Singh said. 'This marks the beginning of a packed international calendar, with the World Cup stage tournament in Kazakhstan, the World Championship in Liverpool, the World Cup Finals in New Delhi, and several key tournaments, including the Asian Championship, lined up towards the end of the year," he added. 'We have prioritised performance and transparency in our selection process—every boxer has earned their place through hard work and consistency. The national camp is already underway, and with the level of talent and structure now in place, I believe we are well-positioned to make a strong global impact in the months ahead," Singh elucidated. The BFI announced that it adhered to a selection criterion, offering opportunities to the silver medallists from the 2025 Elite Men's and Women's National Championships. Under the auspices of Asian Boxing, the Thailand Open will feature top national teams from across the continent, including strong competitors like China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Japan, Korea, and host nation Thailand. The initial camp in Patiala gathered 60 male and 60 female boxers, selected based on their outstanding performance at the 2025 Nationals and the gold and silver medallists from the 2024 REC Combined National Talent Hunt in Rohtak and the Chief of Army Staff Cup in Pune. After a series of internal assessments, the pool was reduced to 40 boxers in each category. This refined group will continue training through June, with additional athletes from an upcoming Elite Women's Competition joining in July. The Thailand Open is a significant international event in India's boxing calendar, giving elite boxers a chance to compete against Asia's best, building momentum towards the World Boxing Cup later this year. Naothoi Singh Kongkham (47–50kg), Pawan Bartwal (50–55kg), Nikhil (55–60kg), Amit Kumar (60–65kg), Hemant Yadav (65–70kg), Deepak (70–75kg), Dhruv Singh (75–80kg), Jugnoo (80–85kg), Naman Tanwar (85–90kg), and Anshul Gill (90kg+). Women's sqaud: Yasika Rai (45–48kg), Tamanna (48–51kg), Abha Singh (51–54kg), Priya (54–57kg), Sanju (57–60kg), Saneh (65–70kg), Anjali (70–75kg), Lalfakmawii Ralte (75–80kg), and Kiran (80kg+). No boxer has been named in the women's 60–65kg category for this edition.