New Delhi, Mar 24: A thunderous ovation reverberated across the JLN Stadium weightlifting auditorium as Punjab’s Jaspreet Kaur set a new national record in powerlifting at the Khelo India Para Games 2025.

Competing in the 45kg category, the 30-year-old from Punjab lifted an incredible 101kg on Sunday, surpassing her own previous best of 100kg recorded just a week earlier at the nationals on March 16.

Jaspreet’s journey to the top is nothing short of inspirational. Once an overweight software engineer who graduated from NIT Kozhikode, her mental resilience got her to lose 40kgs as she forayed into the sporting arena.

“Doctors told me that my lower spine was getting pressed and that I needed to lose weight. That was a wake-up call. I was weighing 80kg at the time during 2020 and my job as an engineer wanted me to sit for several hours. I was scared if it would lead me to be wheelchair-bound,” she told SAI Media.

For Jaspreet, powerlifting is more than a sport—it’s a lifeline. “The game has chosen me, rather than me choosing the game. My weight loss gave me powerlifting, and powerlifting gave me confidence. Now, I want to win a medal for India in the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028 and make headlines, just like my coach Rajinder Sir did back in 2004 Athens Paralympics, where he won the bronze in para powerlifting,” she said, eyes set on the ultimate goal.

Jaspreet explained she has a tilted spine and being overweight causes the spinal points in the lumbar region to get pressed. As a result, she started getting misbalanced in the leg that was not impacted by polio.

Struck by polio at the age of three, Jaspreet Kaur, who walks with the help of callipers now, returned to Punjab after quitting her job in 2020 and started her weight loss journey. Studies also was a key priority.

“I started preparing for UPSC once I returned home and in seven months, cleared the pre-exams,” she added. Her transformative fitness journey, over the course of one and a half years, relied solely on a disciplined diet.

“I was my own nutritionist and I did all the studies and research on nutrition. My only goal was to lose weight and fix my hip issues. I cut down fast food and sugar, drank warm water twice a day, and ensured proper nutrition with desi ghee and four meals daily. Staying hungry weakens the liver, so I was careful,” she elaborated.

It wasn’t until the end of 2022 that she stumbled upon Paralympic games in general while reading newspapers. With a hunger to participate in the games, Jaspreet called up fellow Punjab-based para-powerlifters and Paralympians Rajinder Singh Rahelu and Paramjeet Kumar. Inspired by their achievements, she decided to give the sport a shot.

In her first nationals that same year, she lifted 70kg and clinched gold, earning a spot at the prestigious Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar.

“I had no idea para powerlifting existed. I was always motivated by sportspersons, but I was too engrossed in studies to consider it for myself. When I found out about it, I knew I had to try,” continued Jaspreet, who holds an M. Tech degree and has even published an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers thesis.

Under the expert guidance of Arjuna Award-winning coach Rajinder Singh Rahelu at SAI Gandhinagar, she honed her technique and strength, steadily improving to lift over twice her body weight within three years.

“All the credit goes to Rajinder Sir. I have blindly followed his guidance in every aspect to improve my game. Besides that, over the last couple of years, SAI Gandhinagar has provided me with all the diet and disciplined routine,” she added with gratitude.

Jaspreet also actively supports the Fit India Sundays on Cycle Mission, which stresses on the message of ‘Fight against Obesity’.

“The Fit India cycling drive has turned into a movement and the message is something I can connect with my own journey. An overweight person often lacks self-confidence and avoids people due to fear and self-doubt. I had acidity issues, blood vomiting—it was terrible. But now, I feel stronger than ever. Even though I walk with callipers, my stamina has drastically improved. I can walk for kilometers without losing breath,” she explained to SAI Media.

--IANS

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