Winning a gold medal in championships is a big victory but what about bagging 5 gold medals in a championship? It is a massive victory! Arathi Arun, Asian Powerlifting Championship gold medalist, has just bagged five gold medals in the Commonwealth Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships.
Arathi Arun said, “Powerlifting gives me leverage to look at life differently.” She is Chennai-based dental surgeon who is also a powerlifting champion. In Asian Powerlifting Championship 2019, she won a gold medal in Hong Kong. She also won first place in M-1 category in All India Federation Cup Powerlifting Championship held in Kolkata. Also, she is known and has been honored with various titles such as “Strong Woman” by the state of Tamil Nadu and Chennai District Powerlifting Championships. She also got the title “First Master Women” by Tamil Nadu when she won “Best Lifter Award” in 2018 National Championship. In South India Championship (Senior Category) which was held in Pondicherry in January 2019, she won a silver medal.
It is not long ago that she started her sports career. She also said that it is her son and family that motivate her to work harder. It all started, when she began working out at gym and lifting more weights. Then she thought of trying her luck at powerlifting and began her training and thus there is no stoppage from that point. Now she had won five gold medals but has expressed her disappointment and discontent for not being acknowledged for her victory. She said, “I am the only woman who has taken part in both Asian platform and Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship. After winning, I expected a lot of appreciation and was not given much support.” She expected to gain support and thus mailed Center and State Governments regarding the same and has requested a reward or some kind of appreciation, “After my Asian Championship, I even sent mail to the Center and State, requesting them for reward and appreciation. But they sent an email to me saying that they will look into the matter but till now nobody has replied to me. So, that is letting down, as a sportsperson, at the end of the day when you come back to your motherland, you expect your people to love you and respect you for what you have done for the country.”
The powerlifting championship started on 15th September and ended on 21st September. Over 28 Indians took part in the tournament. Arathi won the gold in 72 kgs category.
It is proved by Arathi that there is no platform where a woman cannot perform and she is for sure a multi-talented woman, balancing two professional careers which are both opposites is a commendable job. She is a high spirited woman and she said that she will not stop and work harder on her future endeavors, “I will not stop; the fire in me is not going to stop. I am going to take part in the World Championships that is going to come in South Africa but if I am getting support from the government that will be an added bonus to me and I will really appreciate it.”
She is a mother of two, a professional dentist and power lifter- “Power Lifting Dentist.”
