When you picture a champion powerlifter, what comes to mind? A man with bulging muscles huffing a deep breath in and lifting a barbell, straining under many weights, in one go? But when people see city toddlers, Radhika Gadiya, 2, and Aarya Gadiya, 6, lift at competitions, all assumptions come crashing down. Recently, Radhika won gold at the WPC Karnataka State Championship 2026, while a few months ago, pulling a 2,000kg car on India’s Got Talent gave Aarya a national spotlight. But why do the girls do this? For Aarya, it’s as simple as ‘I want to be strong and become a fighter pilot!’, while for Radhika, it is ‘I want to be like Aarya didi’.
It all started when four-year-old Aarya accompanied her father, former powerlifter Sanjay Gadiya, to the gym. “She lifted an official Olympic barbell, which is six and a half feet tall and weighs 20kg. That was a shock to me and the trainers. When asked, she did it again with ease,” recalls Sanjay. Within months, Aarya was lifting 30kg, setting a world record for the heaviest deadlift hold by a preschooler. “I started training her just to see how far she can push herself. We never had the intention to set a world record,” notes Sanjay, adding that since then, she’s set four more records that have made it to the International Book of Records.
Both training and diet, keeping in mind the kids’ age is rooted in basics, following a Jain diet in line with family customs, but rich in curd, cheese, paneer, ghee and other vegetarian proteins. “I’m a believer in our traditional pehalwani and akhada systems, which are kid-friendly, with no additional supplementation at this stage. There’s just one mantra: no packaged foods,” shares Sanjay.
However, training is mixed with play and supervision. “Basics need to be perfect, because otherwise you become injury-prone. I started with training Aarya to hold barbells correctly and the theory of powerlifting. Apart from that, sessions involve a 15-minute warm-up, a 30-minute dedicated workout and 15 minutes of playtime. But for Radhika, the training is very mild. Before bedtime, when we give them a massage, is when they let us know if they’re feeling any pain; I immediately adjust the workout the next day,” explains Sanjay. Being a powerlifter who had to give up the sport due to a spinal injury, he is careful to avoid overtraining.
What’s next for the weight-lifting prodigies? For now, they are competing in state-level competitions, but Sanjay does not have a big dream or goal in mind – instead wanting to push them as long as they want to keep going, stating, “The girls are well-versed in karate, and they’re learning boxing. I believe starting at a young age keeps them active, flexible and they can choose anything they want to do in the world.”
Expertspeak
While Radhika and Aarya are training under the supervision of their dad, a former powerlifter, they have regular checkups with a senior physician and sports rehabilitation doctor and play other sports apart from lifting. Sports medicine doctor, Ameya Kagali, advises caution for anyone who may be inspired to follow in their footsteps. “It is possible to do some strength training at a young age, as it helps build good bone density and coordination. But in competition, I would not recommend it. Most federations at the national and international level don’t start competitions until the age of 10 or 12. Precautions like focusing on technique, one-to-one supervision by a coach and parent is essential, no max lifts until failure and good sleep and food. You need medical clearance by a paediatrician or an experienced sports medicine doctor should be consulted before kids start lifting,” he says. Palak Dengla, chief physiotherapist, Aster RV Hospital, adds, “At this point, kids’ bones, joints, growth plates, muscles and coordination are still catching up, so doing heavy resistance work is not a good fit. Children should never be pushed to train through pain or unusual fatigue. If there is persistent joint pain or any swelling that keeps showing up, it should be checked promptly. Also, letting children join a variety of sports instead of very early specialisation often helps lower the risk of overuse injuries.”