Bhavna Tokekar Now Eyeing the World Championships

Meet Bhavna Tokekar, a 47-year-old homemaker who won four golds at the Asian powerlifting competition. She is now eyeing the World Championships

- Sravani Sarkar

DETERMINATION AND FOCUS, strength and willpower are writ large on Bhavna Tokekar’s face as she trains at the Defence Services Officers’ Institute (DSOI) gym in Bhopal. Forty-seven and a mother of two, Bhavna won four gold medals at the Open Asian Powerlifting Championships in July. But when she is home, her features soften dramatically as she speaks of her family; she says it is her support system and inspiration.

Powerlifting comprises three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts—squat, bench press and deadlift. It is not yet an Olympic sport, and is different from the snatch and clean and jerk lifts in weightlifting. The Asian championship for amateurs is organised by the World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) and had around 500 competitors this time, including 14 from India. Bhavna, won two golds each on July 13 and 14 in the Under 67.5kg Masters 2 category (45-49 years), competing in her first-ever amateur powerlifting event.

“I am extremely proud of what I did, but let me underline that I would not have done it at the cost of my family. For me it is always family first,” said Bhavna as her husband, Group Captain Shreepad Tokekar, and younger son Aarav, 15, proudly look on. “I brought honour to the nation, but I also feel that raising kids as good citizens is an equally important service to the nation,” said the champion.