VIZIANAGARAM: Braving poverty and adverse social conditions, the mason’s daughter had built a career in sports lifting three gold medals and making her way to the preparatory mat at Patiala for the ensuing 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held at Glasgow, Scotland.
Seventeen year old Reddy Bhavani won triple gold in weightlifting in the Asian Youth and Junior Championships held at Astana in Kazakhstan.
The lift and gold were not that easy for the teenager, daughter of a mason, who had to overcome poverty and challenging situations in academics. Bhavani hails from a tiny village Konda Karakam and is second of three sisters and her father Reddy Adinaaryana works as a mason for livelihood.
Despite the lack of proper training facilities and nutritious food, she excelled in various tournaments and her story resonates the importance of passion, perseverance, and the potential for individuals to overcome adversity and achieve fame as Bhavvani is now undergoing at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala for the ensuing Commonwealth Games.
It has been her mother Madhavi’s strong desire to make her daughters as sports persons that was the drive that led to the success of Bhavani. The mother took her to the sports stadium and was put under the tutelage of Challa Rami who had coached international weightlifters including Moida Ramakrishana, K Venkatalaxmi.
Bhavani joined coaching in 2018 from Challa Ramu, and underwent training until she was selected for Sports Training Center (STC), Eluru in 2022. Bhavani was selected for nationals and won the bronze medal at Bhuvaneswar in 2021. The father had to sell their house for the marriage of his eldest daughter. Watching the situation, Bhavani decided to give up the sport, but moved by her situation, Gadipalli Anand, a weightlifting coach, gave the much needed support financially. She was then selected for National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Aurangabad established by Sports Authority of India (SAI) for nationals and is undergoing trails for 2026 Commonwealth Games.
On the academic front Bhavani could not progress due to lack of attendance but attended IWF training camp at Mexico and had to miss SSC exam but had won triple gold and laurels to the country at the Asian Championship.
Bhavani won the bronze medal in nationals at Bhuvaneswar in 2021. She stood 8th and 4th in IWF World Championship at Mexico in 2022 and 2025 respectively. She won the silver medal in National School Games in 2024. She has won triple gold in weightlifting at the Asian Youth & Junior Championships held at Astana in Kazakhstan on July 4.
Speaking to TNIE, Bhavani said, “I have entered into weightlifting with my mother Madhavi’s encouragement. Challa Ramu of Konda Velagada is my first guru in weightlifting. We have to spend at least Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000 per month for my training especially for nutritious food. However, my father was unable to spend over Rs 3,000-Rs 5,000 per month besides taking care of my family. Gadipalli Anand is taking care of my training like an elder brother and coach since 2022 by spending his own earnings. I have won the Asian Youth & Junior Championships held at Astana in Kazakhstan with the support of my coaches Challa Ramu, Gadipalli Anand, Ranjit at NCOE, Aurangabad and other coaches at NSNIS, Patiala.”
“I am confident in winning medals on international platforms. Winning medals in the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic is my dream,” she added.
Bhavani’s father Adinarayana said, “I am getting Rs 500-Rs 700 per day. I felt happy after knowing to Bhavani got triple gold. At the same time, I felt unhappy to unable to provide nutritious food. I appeal the government to help my daughter for weightlifting training and other necessities.”