At 17, while watching a bodybuilding tournament, A Purushothaman decided that he didn’t want to be a part of the audience any longer. He wanted to be in front of a cheering crowd. Now, at 40, Purushothaman is a police officer and a Natural Bodybuilding International Union (NBBIU) pro card holder, who stands tall, knowing that passion can help you achieve your dreams.
A patient wait
Purushothaman began bodybuilding in 1998, at the age of 19. “My younger brother and mother saw my passion and were supportive of it,” he said. After two years of rigorous training, he won the titles of Mister Tamil Nadu and Mister Madras by the Tamil Nadu Amateur Bodybuilding Association (ABBA). He defended these titles for the next six years.
In 2002, he began working with the police force. “I had earlier applied for a job in the Railways, but there were no vacancies at the time. I had the option of joining the firefighting department or the police force and I picked the latter,” said Purushothaman. He wanted to continue his passion for bodybuilding and hoped to participate in contests held by the police force. Unfortunately, at the time, bodybuilding was not considered a sport in the defence forces. “They didn’t have the sport listed and so I continued to compete on a national and state level,” he said.
Despite Purushothaman’s passion for bodybuilding, he was asked by doctors to take a break in 2008, after he tore the meniscus muscle in his knee in an accident. “The doctors asked me not to lift weights, but just walk and do fitness exercises. For ten years, I worked out to gradually strengthen my knee,” he said. He made a full recovery and returned to the stage in 2018.
The tough get going
Bodybuilding made an entry as a sport in the records of the police force in 2018. Purushothaman grasped the opportunity and went on to become one of 15 participants from Tamil Nadu and one of the 257 from India. “In May 2018 I was awarded the title of Mr Chennai and in September, Mr Tamil Nadu and overall champion by ABBA. I also won a gold medal for bodybuilding at the Tamil Nadu Inter Range Police Meet 2018,” he said.
With an undying spirit, Purushothaman continues to work out and maintain fitness at the Muscle Mechanic Gym in Mambalam. He looks forward to the next sports meet the police will have in February 2020. “Bodybuilding is my passion and I will keep it up for as long as I can,” he said.
Pushing limits
On the other hand, men’s physique contests are in contrast to bodybuilding. Unlike bodybuilding, men’s physique contests also judge the aesthetic value, personality and body language of contestants.
A sports accident in 2007 forced Bharat Raj to let go of his passion for basketball. A member of the national basketball team from 2005, he couldn’t forgo his love for fitness, and thus chose bodybuilding to have an outlet. “I was always into sports. After the accident, I was restless. I had to get back to fitness and bodybuilding was the best option. It strengthened my ankle that was injured in the accident, and peaked my fitness enthusiasm,” he said.
“Competing in men’s physique contests is a lifestyle. We don’t build our bodies like bodybuilders. Men’s physique requires overall training of body, mind and conduct. My life became very disciplined and I had a strict schedule to follow. I spent most of my time in training,” said Bharat. When he isn’t training, he’s looking after his five doigs at home. “We have a rottweiler, husky, chow chow and two mongrels. I end up playing with them for hours sometimes,” he said fondly.
Undying spirit
Bharat Raj had to follow a strict regime to maintain his body. He participates in the six-foot category and controls his diet accordingly. “Depending on which muscle I train my diet changes. My intake of protein and carbs keeps fluctuating,” he said.
After 11 years of competing and winning titles such as Mr Perfect Body in 2009, Provogue MensXP Mr India World in 2014 and Mr South India in 2016 for Men’s Physique, Bharat launched his fitness studio in 2014. “I freelanced from 2013 to 2014, and then decided that I could hone my skills and train others at my own studio,” he said. He has trained celebrities including Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Vikram
Prabhu and Bindhu Madhavi.
This month, he was awarded the pro card status by the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB). He is the first in Tamil Nadu and the fourth in India to have achieved the card. “There were over 1,000 participants from over 42 countries,” he said. Bharat now aims to participate in the Olympia Show held in the US. “Now that I have the pro card, I can participate in international competitions. I live out my passion while making my country proud,” said the 29-year-old.