GUNTUR; Braving all odds, this 21-year-old has become the first professional woman bodybuilder of the State. Now, she is striving to win medals for the country on international platforms.
A native of Vemuru village in Guntur district, Ravuri Esther Rani lost her parents at the age of five. She along with her brother faced severe hardship in the childhood. Her grandmother raised them by selling leafy vegetables. However, she has been active in various sports and won several medals in school-level competitions.
In 2019, after completing her Intermediate, when her family’s financial condition deteriorated, she shifted to Hyderabad in search of a job. After a lot of struggle, she joined as a gym trainer and got interested in bodybuilding and started her training.
“After some research, I learned that Andhra Pradesh did not have a single professional woman bodybuilder. So, I wanted to do it and followed a strict timetable to build my body and participated in competitions,” she said.
She got selected for the National Federation Cup held in Sikkim earlier this month and represented the State for the first time. “It was not easy to get ready for the competition in just one-and-a-half years. I used to train for six hours a day, besides doing job. As I was working in the same gym, I could practise there for free. But maintaining a balanced diet has become costly, especially with my financial condition. I took loans from a few people to continue my training and diet,” she added.
It was not easy for Esther Rani as several people discouraged her. “When I asked for help, everyone ridiculed me and said I should concentrate on important things or even other sports but not bodybuilding as it does not suit girls. Even my grandmother was not happy with my decision. But I have confidence in myself. After coming to know about my efforts, a few people came forward to provide financial assistance to me,” she said.
Though she faced hardship, her colleagues supported and encouraged her. “I never thought I would receive such great respect from other bodybuilders. But they welcomed me and lauded my courage to take the first step and set a path for other women in bodybuilding,” she said.
She is currently preparing to participate in an international competition to be held in Andaman in July and aiming to win a medal for the country. However, due to the financial crisis, she is short on funds and has requested the government to support her so that she can bring fame to the State and the country.