Powerlifting in Andhra Pradesh

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Wikipedia — Indian Powerlifting Federation, Indian Powerlifting Federation (indianpowerliftingfederation.com), World Powerlifting Congress India (wpcindia.org), PowerLifting India (powerliftingindia.net), OpenPowerlifting.org — recent national championship results).

Overview

Governing body: IPLF
Origin: Modern
Olympic discipline: No
Category: Strength
Total players listed: …

Powerlifting is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The IPLF oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Powerlifting is not currently on the Olympic programme, but it sits firmly inside India's broader sporting ecosystem. The discipline receives support through the Khelo India movement, multi-sport events such as the National Games and Asian Games trials wherever the sport is contested, and dedicated league or championship structures run by the federation. Sponsorship, broadcast deals and private academies often fill the gap that direct government funding leaves, and several state governments offer cash awards, government jobs and land grants to medallists at the National Games and recognised world championships.

Strength sports in India have a long lineage rooted in akhara culture, and the modern federation structure under the IPLF now sits on top of that base. Selection for international events follows weight categories and the totals achieved at national championships, with the senior nationals doubling as a Commonwealth and Asian championships trial in most years. Coaching, periodisation and anti-doping education have improved substantially with TOPS and SAI support, and strength training is increasingly part of every Olympic-sport athlete's preparation as well.

At the grassroots, the route into Powerlifting typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Powerlifting originated in Modern, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Powerlifting, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the IPLF, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Powerlifting is played and developed across India under the IPLF, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How powerlifting evolved globally and took root in India.

Powerlifting traces its modern origins to Modern. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and IPLF is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, powerlifting grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under IPLF, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Powerlifting sits outside the Olympic programme but is firmly part of India's Asian Games, Commonwealth and National Games map, with state governments backing medallists through cash awards, jobs and land grants.

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for powerlifting athletes in India.

Khelo India Talent Development Scheme (KISCE)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for identified powerlifting talent (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports).
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for medal-prospect powerlifting athletes; administered by the Mission Olympic Cell.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite powerlifting athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment.
Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension (₹20,000 for Olympic/World/Asian/CWG medallists; scaled by tier) for retired powerlifting internationals — Government of India.

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Indian Players

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Rules

Powerlifting contests three lifts in fixed order — squat, bench press, deadlift — with three attempts each. Lifters compete by bodyweight class and age category (sub-junior, junior, senior, masters); the best valid attempt in each lift is added into a total, and ties are broken in favour of the lighter bodyweight. Three referees judge each attempt: a squat must reach depth with the hip crease below the top of the knee, a bench press must be paused motionless on the chest and pressed to a locked, even finish, and a deadlift must finish fully upright with shoulders back and no downward movement of the bar. Missing commands ('squat', 'start'/'press'/'rack', 'down'), soft-locking, or shifting the feet brings red lights. Separate divisions exist for classic (raw) and equipped lifting, and all competitors fall under NADA/WADA anti-doping testing.

Authoritative rulebook: IPLF. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a powerlifting squad or competition.

Snatch
Single-movement lift from floor to overhead — Olympic weightlifting event.
Clean & jerk
Two-stage lift to the shoulders then overhead — Olympic weightlifting event.
Squat / bench / deadlift
The three powerlifting disciplines contested by weight class.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in powerlifting at a federation-recognised event.

Calibrated power bar and competition plates with collars
Squat rack, competition bench and platform
Singlet, T-shirt and long socks for deadlift
Approved lifting belt (max 10cm width)
Flat-soled lifting shoes or squat shoes
Knee sleeves or wrist wraps within length limits (classic division)
Squat suit, bench shirt and knee wraps (equipped division)

Governing body

National federation

IPLF

IPLF is the recognised national body for Powerlifting in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for powerlifting. State associations under IPLF run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: Modern
Olympic: No
Category: Strength

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Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the powerlifting calendar in India.

National Championships (Sub Junior, Junior, Senior, Master, Benchpress, Deadlift, Federation Cup)
Organized by the Indian Powerlifting Federation (IPF, established 1975, headquartered in Jamshedpur, recognized by MYAS and the IOA), which has over 10,000 members and 37 affiliated state associations.
Governance note
A separate body, World Powerlifting Congress India (WPC India, founded 2017), also runs national and state championships under a different international affiliation (World Powerlifting Congress, USA) — reflecting the same kind of multi-organization landscape seen in several other strength and combat sports.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in powerlifting.

Hosting record
IPF has hosted 23 international championships (Asian, Commonwealth and World level) in India between 1981 and 2016, and its lifters have won more than 900 medals at championships held abroad. The federation states that lifter E.S. Bhaskaran set a still-unbeaten world record in deadlift.
Asia-Pacific Powerlifting Championship
India was awarded hosting rights for this event (Australia, March 2019) in recognition of its improving international standing, per Powerlifting India's own leadership.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for powerlifting. The national championship under IPLF remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised powerlifting athletes to know outside India.

Lasha Talakhadze (Georgia)
Multi-time Olympic and World super-heavyweight champion.
Li Wenwen (China)
Olympic super-heavyweight weightlifting champion.
Ray Williams (USA)
Multiple-time raw powerlifting world-record holder.

Records

Where to find India's official powerlifting record book.

Olympic medalsN/A
Powerlifting is not on the Olympic programme, so India records this discipline through Asian Games, Commonwealth, World and Continental championships instead.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in powerlifting are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the IPLF.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in powerlifting are maintained by the IPLF.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for powerlifting and mirrored by IPLF.
National record holdersFederation register
IPLF publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in powerlifting — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

Seven Indian powerlifters have received the Arjuna Award and one the Dronacharya Award; Monojit Bose received a Hall of Fame Award from the International Powerlifting Federation in 1979
Playing pathway through IPF's zone (North/East/West/South) and state-level championships feeding into national events
The sport has moved to fully digital nomination and results systems since 2017
Federation leadership has been explicit about zero tolerance for anti-doping violations under NADA/WADA rules — a genuine, ongoing point of vigilance in a strength sport where doping risk is a live concern

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Related academies

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Government Schemes

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Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for powerlifting athletes and academies.

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FAQs

Common questions about powerlifting in India.

Who governs Powerlifting in India?▾

IPLF is the recognised national federation for Powerlifting in India. State associations under IPLF run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Powerlifting an Olympic sport?▾

Powerlifting is not currently on the Olympic programme, but India competes at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (where recognised), World Championships and other continental events sanctioned by IPLF.

How do I start playing Powerlifting in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Powerlifting athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Powerlifting?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Powerlifting athletes selected for international events?▾

IPLF runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Powerlifting in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Powerlifting in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Powerlifting