How Narayanpur’s Khushboo Nag Lifted Herself And Bastar Onto The World Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Stage
From the remote lanes of Narayanpur to international competitions, Khushboo Nag’s journey has been one of courage and determination in the face of challenges.
Published : August 11, 2025 at 5:29 PM IST
Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) : Bastar, usually known for conflict, gunpowder, and Naxalism has now got a new identity - for being home to Khushboo Nag, a young tribal woman, who has broken stereotypes to make it big in the world of bodybuilding and powerlifting.
Even after growing up in a poor tribal family Khushboo never felt she was deprived of anything that others had. Her father works as a carpenter and has been her support since 2019, when mother was diagnosed with cancer. Watching her mother fight the disease, and then losing her, left Khushboo shattered.
It was her brother who suggested that she join a gym to cope with grief. She agreed and started the process to heal with a reason and purpose. But her purpose turned into passion without even realizing it. In Khushboo’s words, “The gym became my companion and it gave me strength, focus, and a new identity.”
Since bodybuilding and weightlifting are often associated with men, in the beginning, Khushboo faced criticism and had to hear taunts from people who thought it was not something a woman should be doing. “It took time to change people’s thinking. And that happened after I made a name. Everyone raised a finger at me. But I knew I had to do something in the sport,” she recalls.
But how did she tide over the challenges? Narayanpur neither had proper gym equipment nor professional coaching. For Khushboo, even basic nutrition support was not there and the government support was far and few. But nothing deterred Khushboo. She had made up her mind and trained to improvise, learn, and then pushed her limits.
Her hard work paid off and Khushboo today has competed in three national bodybuilding and powerlifting championships. While she has won gold in all three, she also got the title of Strongest Woman of Chhattisgarh. That was not all, she was also tagged the Strongest Woman of India by clinching a total of 470 kg in powerlifting.
At the international level, she represented India at the NPC Worldwide Championship in Mumbai, and won a bronze. She became the first woman from Chhattisgarh to achieve this feat.
Khushboo's medals changed the way people looked at her. She is now the new identity for the state and the country. On how people in her community view women in sports, she says, “Earlier, only a few girls even thought of going to a gym. Now, more and more women are stepping forward and working out,” she says.
Attributing her success to her coach and her family Khushboo says there is immense talent in Chhattisgarh but none to recognise them. "I would urge everyone to pursue their passion. There is nothing that is limited to men. It is an open field and any woman or man can prove their mettle," she says adding, "The government must appoint good coaches to train youngsters lest lose the upcoming talents."
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