KHAMMAM: Etching his name in the history of Indian powerlifting, a 73-year-old retired SBI officer wins four gold medals at the National Powerlifting Championships, setting a national record. The officer, DV Shankar Rao, is also the first recorded bypass surgery survivor.
The championship, organised by Powerlifting India, takes place in Kozhikode, Kerala. Competing in the Master-4, 83 kg category, Rao bags three gold medals in individual events and an Overall Championship gold, making his feat unprecedented in the sport’s history.
What makes this victory extraordinary is that Rao took up powerlifting only six months before undergoing a heart bypass surgery in 2012. His journey from a heart patient to a national champion inspires fitness enthusiasts across the country. Officials describe the achievement as a “historic milestone never before registered in Powerlifting India’s records.”
Through his dedication and transformation, he also earned an invitation to represent India at the World Powerlifting Championships, scheduled for October 2025 in South Africa.
From walks to weights
Speaking about his unexpected entry into the sport, Rao says, “I am a regular walker and yoga practitioner in Bhadrachalam. A friend, Sobhan Naik, a forest officer, keeps encouraging me to try gym workouts, saying that even at this age I can succeed.”
Initially hesitant, Rao joined City Style Power Gym in Bhadrachalam in February 2025. Before starting, he consulted three doctors — Dr Bala Narayan Reddy (MD), Dr Guru Teja (Ortho), and Dr G Siva Rama Krishna Prasad (Anaesthesia) — who cleared him for training with strict precautions. Rao recalls their advice: “They tell me that gym exercises strengthen your muscles and your heart, which is also a muscle. Just stop if you feel heavy breathing.” Following this, Rao trains rigorously under coach Gongadi Venkata Rami Reddy, with Dr Krishna Prasad later serving as his intensive trainer for the nationals.