Powerlifter From Sagar Defies Age To Win Medals At National Level Championships
Quitting hockey at 55 didn't stop the athlete in Bhagwandas Kashyap, who won 2 gold and 2 silver medals at the National Masters Powerlifting Championship.
Published : August 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM IST
Sagar: A 69-year-old powerlifter from Madhya Pradesh's Sagar has defied age to prove that there can be no obstacle in the path of determination.
Bhagwandas Kashyap has won 2 gold and 2 silver medals at the recent National Masters Powerlifting Championship held in Kozhikode, Kerala.
Bhagwandas used to play for the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department hockey team till the age of 55 when he quit the hockey stick. But he was a natural sportsman who could not resist playing and took to powerlifting.
He stands as an example for the elderly making headlines on account of his achievements. In the recent Power Lifting tourney held from August 2 to 7, he won gold medals in squat and deadlift besides a silver medal in bench press and an overall silver medal in Master 3 category of 59 kg weight.
Bhagwandas said, “I am basically a hockey player but I gave it up when I started having problems at the age of 55. But I was playing since childhood and felt something was missing in his life. So I took recourse to powerlifting and became so attached to the sport that I started participating in the power lifting competitions.” In the process he won medals in several championships at state and national level.
He is now the President of Sagar District Powerlifting Association and encourages youngsters as well as the aged people to pursue sporting activities.
Inspired by him, many elderly people have started powerlifting and are displaying their talent in many competitions. Manohar Lal Sen who is retired disclosed, “Earlier I used to go to the gym and the wrestling arena. When I met Bhagwandas Kashyap, I started doing powerlifting. Seeing him, I participated in the state and national championships and also won gold medals. I have participated in competitions in Andhra Pradesh and Goa.”
In a few months, Bhagwandas Kashyap will touch the age of 70. But his love for power lifting is directly proportional to his age and he is now eying participation in the Asian Games Powerlifting Championship.
“This competition is scheduled to be held in India in 2026. I have started preparing for it now itself,” he said.
His spirit is proving to be motivational for many youngsters as well as the aged. It is a common belief that the longer the elderly remain involved in sporting activities; the better it is for their quality of life when the muscles and bones start to wither away with age.
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