After winning the medal in Olympics her name become the household name among the Indian families and inspired many young ladies to take up the sport. Carrying the hopes of million peoples on the shoulders and living up to the expectation is not an easy task and Karnam Malleswari did it in 2000 Olympics. Undoubtedly a true legend in the women weightlifting circuit has brought many laurels to the country by her breathtaking performance. True to her name Karnam which gives the meaning of dignity in Sanskrit made every Indian proud by her outstanding achievements over the years. Malleswari’s legacy extends beyond her own achievements, as she has become a symbol of hope and inspiration for countless young Indian athletes. She had planned to return to competitions at the 2002 Commonwealth Games but withdrew after her father passed away.
“When I began weightlifting in 1987, the pressure on girls to not play sports was very high. Today girls go to gyms and put up pictures of their muscles (on social media),” Malleswari chuckles about the changing times. There were times when weightlifting was considered as a man’s play in India, but the illusion was shattered by an Andhra girl in 2000 when she bagged India’s first Olympic medal in women’s weightlifting and scripted history. Yes, we are talking about Karnam Malleswari; who although has bidden a bye to the sport, yet her phenomenal journey as a weightlifter will always be chanted as an inspirational anecdote. It was her, who denied to carry on all the crappy cerebration of the society and decided to train in weightlifting and that too at the age of 12 and rest is a legend in itself. The Sydney Olympics marked the first time that women’s weightlifting was included in the Olympic program.
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This historic achievement made her an instant household name, earning her the nickname “The Iron Lady”. Impressed by her natural ability, Taranenko recommended her to the Bangalore Sports Institute. In her first junior national weightlifting championships in 1990, she broke nine national records in the 52kg category.
Olympic bronze to silver screen in 20 years: Biopic on Karnam Malleswari promises belated adulation
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- The Government of India honoured her with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Padma Shri in 1999.
- Her achievements will remain forever and we should start celebrating her like we are doing current sportspersons.
- Karnam was born in Voosavanipeta, a small village of Andhra Pradesh and groomed up with four siblings.
- Her remarkable achievement not only marked a significant milestone in Indian sports but also paved the way for future generations of Indian women athletes.
- That victory changed her life overnight Karnam Malleswari was seen as an inspiration for many since then.
- The movie needs to find a heroine who can lift so that people can see the nerves, the pressure of the body, the muscles.
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The Government of India honoured her with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Padma Shri in 1999. She image source became the mother of a son in 2001 after which she was supposed to quit sports, but Karnam denied it all and prepared hard for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. But this time, destiny was not in her favour, and she had to withdraw her name because of her father’s demise.
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Awards and Achievements
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The weight of the circumstances and the overshadowing doping controversies continued to cast a shadow on her remarkable journey. In 1997, she made a life-changing decision to marry her fellow weightlifter, Rajesh Tyagi, when she was not more than 22 years old. During this period, weightlifting in Bharat was struggling to shake off its tarnished reputation, marred by doping scandals.
While Karnam herself had no connection with the wrongdoers, the shadow of these negative events cast a pall over the entire sport. The incredible journey of Karnam Malleswari, India’s trailblazing weightlifter, didn’t begin on the grand stage of the Olympics but in a quaint village named Voosavanipeta, nestled in the heart of Andhra Pradesh. Karnam was the middle child in a family of five sisters, and little did the world know that this unassuming girl would etch her name in history. Our nation is a treasure trove of inspirational stories, and the world of sports is no exception.
After four years of brief stint in SAI, she won the world championships in 54 kg category in consecutive years of 1994 and 1995 and placed third in 1996 world championships. Krishna Kumari, younger sister of Karnam Malleswari is also a national level weightlifter and won many medals in national level championships. Backed by the strong support of family she, along with her sister moved to Delhi and was spotted by the Sports Authority of India in 1990. She was training under then with the continuous support from SAI she becomes the prominent face of the sport in later 1990s. She won silver medals at the 1994 and 1998 Asian Games, further demonstrating her prowess on the international stage.
Karnam didn’t lose her will to perform and participated at the 2004 Olympic Games but failed to score and bid farewell to the world of sports. At present, Karnam is happily serving the Food Corporation of India as the Chief General Manager (General Administration). Although it has been many years of retirement yet, Karnam has the same will and passion for encouraging sports in the nation and wants girls to perform beyond expectations. India is really proud to have her who never failed to uplift the stature of the country through her gifted talents in weightlifting and donned the colours of victory with all her sincere efforts. Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari etched her name in history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.
In 2000, Karnam qualified for the biggest stage of sports-Olympics and she eventually scripted her name in the history by crediting the nation its first and only Olympic medal (bronze) in weightlifting. Karnam Malleswari, born on June 1, 1975, in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, is an Indian weightlifter renowned for her trailblazing achievements. She etched her name in history books by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. Malleswari clinched bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 69 kg category, showcasing her prowess on the global stage. Her journey is one of resilience and dedication, overcoming societal barriers and financial constraints to reach the pinnacle of success in a male-dominated sport. Malleswari’s legacy extends beyond her medals, inspiring generations of aspiring athletes, especially women, across India.
Over the last five years, Indian female athletes have received their long due recognition and support. And this has resulted in helping them reach new heights and bring the country glory of the highest stage. What do all these mavericks; Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Sania Mirza, Dipa Karmakar, and Sakshi Malik have in common?