At 50, Senior Bureaucrat Wins National Powerlifting Medals, Breaks Records

Usually, people start thinking about early retirement at the age of 50, Ekta Vishnoi, Deputy Director General at Sports Authority of India (SAI), a senior woman bureaucrat in Delhi has demonstrated that age is just a number when it comes to fitness and that excellence has no connection with how old you are. (More Sports News)

Vishnoi, the woman behind the now well established Fit India Movement, is breaking records and winning medals as if to show the world that determination and hardwork is the key to success and age does not matter.

Although she has already achieved success in the fitness field, she is currently on a winning spree at the recently-concluded National Senior Powerlifting Championship in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Vishnoi, who is 50 years old, battled against females half her age and earned a Bronze overall, a Silver in the deadlift with a top lift of 165 kg, a Bronze in the squat, and a Bronze in the bench press with a best lift of 132.5 kg. She also shattered every Master 2 category record in the competition with these lifts.

Earlier, the 50-year-old had also won the gold medal in national masters powerlifting championship and a gold and a silver medal in Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship and Asian Powerlifting Championship, 2022.

Her exceptional achievements made waves with even the Indian government noting here excellence. The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, gave her a certificate of honor in recognition of her achievement in 2023.

Her medal tally aside, Vishnoi also remains an able administrator. She is doing well as an administrator and also on the field.

A 1999-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, Vishnoi is currently heading the prestigious Khelo India Scheme and serving as the Mission Director of the Fit India Movement, a government of India initiative to make India a healthy and fit nation. She is working with the government to realise the goal of making India a sporting nation where every citizen is fit.

Her aim now is to represent India and win medals at the World Masters Powerlifting Championship which will take place in South Africa in October this year.