Rai, Sahu to represent India at Powerlifting C’ship in Japan

 

 

 

In a proud moment for Chhattisgarh, Nami Rai Parikh from Raipur and Krishna Sahu of Bhilai Steel Plant have been selected to represent India at the Asia-Africa-Pacific International Powerlifting Championship, to be held in Himeji, Japan from July 5 to 14. While Nami will participate as an athlete, Krishna Sahu will serve as the coach of the Indian powerlifting team.

 

The Indian contingent comprises 34 members, including players, coaches, managers, and referees from states such as Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The team is scheduled to depart from New Delhi on July 4. Nami Rai earned her spot on the national team after winning a gold medal at the National Classic Senior Powerlifting Championship held in Ludhiana, Punjab. She has been honored twice with the prestigious ‘Strong Woman of India’ title by Powerlifting India for her remarkable achievements in 2024 and 2025. A mother of a 1four-year-old daughter, this will be Nami’s first international powerlifting appearance. On the other hand, this marks the 20th time Krishna Sahu has been selected as a coach for the Indian team in an international event. As a former athlete, Sahu won multiple medals for India from 1989 to 2002, elevating the pride of the nation, Chhattisgarh state, and BSP. Over the years, he has received several prestigious awards including the Vikram Award from the Madhya Pradesh government (1992), Gundadhur Award (2002), and Veer Hanuman Singh Sports Award (2016) from the Chhattisgarh government. He also holds titles such as 8-time Mr. Madhya Pradesh, 7-time Mr. Chhattisgarh, Mr. India, and Strong Man of India. Currently, he works in the Sports and Cultural Department of Bhilai Steel Plant and trains athletes in powerlifting and bodybuilding. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, former CM Bhupesh Baghel, Sports Minister Tankram Verma, MPs Brijmohan Agrawal and Vijay Baghel, MLA Devendra Yadav, and Chhattisgarh Powerlifting Association president and MLA Rikesh Sen have all extended their congratulations and best wishes to Nami and Krishna.