KHAMMAM: At an age when many embrace the quiet rhythm of retirement, this octogenarian from Bayyanagudem village in Penuballi mandal is rewriting the rules of ageing. For Palleboina Venkata Subba Rao, it was the start of an audacious second act. The former transport manager, already decorated with 150 athletics medals, dove into powerlifting on a whim, winning his first cash prize in 2003. Two decades later, he’s a legend, bagging eight state and eight district titles — all without formal training. Now 81, he credits his wife’s support and a refusal to slow down.
Subba Rao first stepped into powerlifting at 61 after simply observing others at a gym. His first competition in Khammam in 2003 saw him lift 50 kg in bench press and walk away with `2,500. Since then, there’s been no looking back. Over the years, he’s bagged eight medals at the state level and another eight in district and inter-district contests, competing in bench press, squat and deadlift categories. Before powerlifting, Subba Rao was a seasoned runner, with nearly 150 medals in 400 and 800 metres at various levels.
Recently, he clinched first prizes in the 120 kg category at competitions in Gudivada and Khammam held on April 12 and 13, respectively. “I began running for health, without trainers or coaches. Later, I got addicted to it. Powerlifting started as a way to earn `2,500, but it became my life’s passion,” Subba Rao tells TNIE. “As long as I breathe, I’ll keep lifting and keep competing.”
A former transport manager at a private power project in Tekulapalli village, he worked for 29 years before retiring. At an age when most are content to rest, Subba Rao is still up and running — literally.
His wife, Rajya Lakshmi, calls him a 30-year-old in an 81-year-old’s body. “Most people at this age struggle to even manage daily chores. But I do everything myself. Without my wife’s support, I wouldn’t have come this far,” he adds.