RAIPUR: Isak Malsawmtluanga, who was orphaned before turning 16 and nearly quit weightlifting, overcame personal loss and injury concerns to clinch the men’s 60 kg gold medal at the ongoing Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 in Raipur.
The 18-year-old from Mizoram was on the verge of quitting the sport after losing both his parents at a young age. However, support from his childhood coach and relatives helped him continue his journey and ultimately achieve success on the national stage.
Isak’s father, Heming Malsawmtluanga, died in a bike accident in 2018, the same year he began training in weightlifting. Left as the only son in the family, he faced uncertainty over whether to continue pursuing the sport or focus on earning to support his family.
“At that time, my childhood coach Soma motivated me a lot and asked me to continue weightlifting,” Isak stated.
Just as his performance began to improve, with a silver medal in the 60 kg category at the Youth National Championships in Himachal Pradesh in 2024, he faced another setback when his mother was diagnosed with cancer, placing the family under emotional and financial strain.
During this period, his uncle and aunt, who work at a small local restaurant in Aizawl’s Ramhlun Vengthar locality, took him in and ensured he could continue both his studies and training without interruption.
“Losing both my parents broke me completely from inside,” he said, adding, “I had almost decided to quit weightlifting but my uncle and coach once again persuaded me to continue”.
Since 2024, Isak has been training at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Imphal while pursuing his Class 12 studies through the Indira Gandhi National Open School in Aizawl.
His efforts gradually yielded results. He secured another silver medal at a junior event in Modinagar in 2025 and later won a bronze at the National Weightlifting Championships the same year.
His build-up to the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 was also challenging. While preparing for the event, he suffered a back injury during training, prompting his coach to advise him to skip the tournament to avoid aggravating the issue.
However, determined not to be held back by another obstacle, Isak competed in Raipur and delivered a gold medal-winning performance.