The 2025 Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships, hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 4–10, turned into a statement of intent for Indian weightlifting.
India’s next generation of weightlifters delivered a powerful statement at the Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships 2025 in Astana, Kazakhstan, securing eight medals across different categories. The event was not just about medals; it also showcased massive personal bests, smart category changes, and the steady rise of lifters from training hubs like the National Centres of Excellence (NCoE).
One of the most remarkable stories came from 18-year-old Sairaj Pardeshi, who bagged a bronze 🥉 in the junior men’s 88kg category. Pardeshi lifted a total of 338kg, with 152kg in the snatch and 186kg in clean & jerk a remarkable jump from his previous total of 312kg when competing in the 81kg class. His new total even surpassed the now-defunct senior national record in the 89kg category by a kilo, underlining both his talent and the strategic value of moving up a weight class.
Training at the NCoE, Pardeshi’s improvement isn’t just about muscle it’s about better recovery, fewer weight cuts, and smarter training. For an athlete who stood fourth at the World Youth Championships last year with a total of 300kg in the 81kg class, this jump to 338kg shows the payoff from adding muscle mass and a better training environment. Pardeshi is now being seen as a genuine medal hope for next year’s World Junior Championships.
Golden Lift from Bhavani Reddy
In the youth women’s 48kg category, Bhavani Reddy from the NCoE Aurangabad delivered an almost flawless performance, winning gold 🥇 across the board. She lifted 69kg in the snatch and 90kg in the clean & jerk, totaling 159kg. This total reflects her consistency and positions her among the most promising names in Asian youth lifting.
Reddy’s clean lifts and controlled technique were praised by coaches and officials alike, and her success underlines how India’s youth development programmes are delivering results.
Massive PB for Parv Chaudhary
Another standout came from Parv Chaudhary, who clinched silver 🥈 in the men’s 94kg youth category. Chaudhary lifted a total of 328kg (145kg snatch and 183kg clean & jerk), marking a massive personal best. What makes this achievement even more striking is that he improved by 13kg despite moving to a lower weight class (from 96kg to 94kg). His previous best total was 315kg at the Youth World Championships 2025, with lifts of 141kg and 175kg.
Chaudhary’s big jump shows that cutting weight, when managed carefully, can still bring strength gains if paired with effective training cycles.
Strong Start with Early Medals
India’s campaign in Astana began brightly on the opening day, with three medals:
- 🥇 Bhavani Reddy (48kg youth) – 159kg total (69+90)
- 🥈 Pungni Tara (44kg youth) – 141kg total (60+81)
- 🥉 Mansi Chamunda (48kg junior) – 166kg total (74+92)
Notably, Pungni Tara also claimed a gold 🥇 in the clean & jerk segment with her lift of 81kg, and Chamunda added a silver 🥈 in the clean & jerk. These early results set the tone for India’s performance at the championships.
Celebrating Regional Pride
India’s medal winners came from diverse states, reflecting the success of decentralized talent spotting:
- Pungni Tara from Arunachal Pradesh brought home silver and gold, making her state proud.
- Panchami Sonowal from Dhemaji, Assam secured a bronze 🥉 in the junior women’s 53kg category with a 170kg total (72kg snatch + 98kg clean & jerk). Her podium finish was celebrated widely back home.
This spread of talent shows how national initiatives like the Khelo India programme and the network of NCoEs in places like Lucknow, Aurangabad, and Patiala are nurturing young athletes from across the country.
Total Medal Tally and Momentum
In total, India bagged eight medals at the championships:
- Youth: 2 gold 🥇 and 4 silver 🥈
- Junior: 2 bronze 🥉
These medals represent more than numbers—they point to a young generation of lifters who aren’t just collecting podium finishes, but also improving personal bests significantly and competing with confidence on the Asian stage.
Path Ahead: Bigger Challenges, Bigger Goals
For lifters like Pardeshi, the journey doesn’t stop here. His eyes are firmly set on next year’s World Junior Championships, where he could challenge for higher honours. For Bhavani Reddy and Parv Chaudhary, continued consistency could make them contenders in future Youth World Championships and beyond.
As these lifters mature and transition into senior categories, challenges will increase but so will opportunities. With better recovery, scientific coaching, and experience, India’s young weightlifters now have a clearer path to sustain and build on early promise.
The 2025 Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships showcased not just medals but proof of depth, smart training decisions, and the success of India’s decentralized approach to nurturing talent. Whether it was Pardeshi’s record-beating total, Bhavani’s clean sweep, or Parv’s big jump, these young athletes gave fans and coaches plenty to cheer about and a real reason to hope for bigger stages.
As they return to training halls, the message is clear: Indian weightlifting’s next generation isn’t waiting for the future they’re building it, lift by lift.
