New Delhi [India], March 1 : Powerlifting, a sport struggling to be on India's radar, has a few aspirants who relentlessly pursue it in the nation, and Bengal's Aditi Nandy is one of them.
Three years ago, Aditi clinched a silver medal in the 48-52 kg bodyweight category at the National Powerlifting Championship held at the Din Dayal Indoor Stadium in Surat.
With echoes of the past resonating at the venue, she recently returned to Surat to push her case in the Open Asian Powerlifting Championship 2025. She ended the tournament with a silver medal around her neck.
In the past three years, Aditi has been balancing her work life while pursuing her undying passion for powerlifting. Aditi's coach, Jason Martin, a powerlifting champion, has accommodated her training schedule despite her hectic work schedule.
"It has been really challenging, and it has been a bumpy ride. A lot of practice and a lot of nationals. I have played in six nationals so far. I have a proper full-time job. I go to the office and start my practice after returning home in the evening when I am mentally drained. Carrying a professional job alongside this passion is kind of taxing and challenging," Aditi told ANI.
"Most of the time, you don't get support, but thankfully, my family and friends support me. My coach, Jason Martin, understands the journey and accommodates my schedule and training programs accordingly," she added.
Among numerous sports disciplines, Aditi's decision to pursue powerlifting comes down to the passion and grit required to succeed.
"I have been strength training for many years, picking up pretty good weights. Then, I learned about powerlifting and decided to give it a try. The beauty of powerlifting is that the grit and passion required to pursue this sport are not ordinary. This sport is not for everyone. It requires a lot of work, and not everyone can afford it," she said.
Since powerlifting isn't a sport that is listed in the Olympics, the lack of support from sponsors and the government has made her journey even more challenging.
"This particular sport is not listed in the Olympics, but it is in the Paralympics, and mainstream people like us don't get support from the government. We participate in private, sponsored tournaments where you have to pay your expenses. So we don't get much support, and we don't get many sponsors," she said.
In her first competition of 2025, Aditi juggled between a family wedding and the deadline of making it in time for the competition. After managing to be a part of her brother's wedding and capping off the tournament on a winning note, Aditi realised staying focused for such events is the key to success.
"When I came to know the tournament was happening in India, I thought that maybe this is my call. But in between, there was a family wedding, so I had to take a detour. So I had to attend the wedding and then fly to a competition for my body weight. After the competition, I realised that if you have such a tournament, you don't get distracted. It was a close competition, and the other athletes played really well. It feels good that I lost to a person who actually did well. Next time, I will do well," she concluded.