After shoulder injury, powerlifter makes a comeback

Deepkamal Kaur

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Jalandhar, July 12

After being qualified to participate in the International Powerlifting Championship to be held in the US in November this year, Dinesh Bhagat (32) of New Suraj Ganj here has a mixed feeling.

He is excited for the championship, but at the same time worried too. Dinesh says he does not have enough resources for training and bear the expenses of foreign travel.

Works in private company

Working as a field officer in a private company, Dinesh Bhagat said he had been practising bench press at a health club on the Basti Sheikh road. He had been practising under coaches Lekh Raj and Madan Lal. “The club has provided me a small room where I keep my equipment and practice,” he said.

No government support

The International Powerlifting Championship will be held at Virginia Beach in the US from November 21 to 24. I need Rs 15-17 lakh to make it to the event. I am not in a position to bear so much expenditure. I don’t have any government support to play in international tournaments. — Dinesh Bhagat

Bhagat qualified for this event after winning a bronze medal in the senior open category in National Powerlifting Championship held in Bengaluru recently. In January this year, he got a gold medal in the 120-kg category in the GPC World Powerlifting Championship, organised by the Global Powerlifting Corporation in Sonepat.

Bhagat, who is popularly known by name Bobby, said in his category of players of 120-kg weight, all-time record was of lifting 205 kg. He broke it by lifting 215 kg.

The powerlifter said he last played till January 2020. “I suffered a shoulder injury and missed all events after that. Undergoing a prolonged treatment and nurturing a desire of returning into the game, I am satisfied that I have finally made a comeback. I improved my fitness level and returned to the game in October last year. My first event was ‘Khedan Vatan Punjab Diyan’ where I had bagged a gold medal,” he said.

Working as a field officer in a private company, Bhagat said he had been practising bench press at a health club on the Basti Sheikh road. He had been practising under coaches Lekh Raj and Madan Lal. “The club has provided me a small room where I keep my equipment and practice,” he said.

“In January this year, I went to take part in a bench press competition on behalf of the Natural Strong Powerlifting Federation in Panipat. I won a gold medal in the competition. I was happy that the goal, which I had set in my life, had been finally achieved. What made it even more concerning for me was that I played a natural game consisting of all natural food and no stimulants or steroids,” he shared.

Bhagat said: “The competition will be held at Virginia Beach in the US from November 21 to 24. I need Rs 15-17 lakh to make it to the event. I am not in a position to bear so much expenditure. I don’t have any government support to play in international tournaments. During the Jalandhar West byelections, I got a chance to meet Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayre for some help. He has called me to his office in Chandigarh. I have my fingers crossed”.