For Suraj Ram Pawar, four times gold-winner at the National Weightlifting Championship who won a silver medal at the same championship held in Jamshedpur from December 28-31, “not weightlifting” has never been an option. Though his surname makes one wonder if he belongs to Maharashtra, he quickly responds saying he is every bit of a Jharkhandi with a smile.
Pawar, a railway employee was first introduced to the sport as a young 20-year-old youth. His father was full of praise for him when he lifted him up as a regular routine. Once, when his father pointed out his greatest potential in his strength and ability to carry heavy weight that it triggered the thought of testing his limit of weightlifting and the story of hardship and victories followed.
Pawar started his training under his Guru Indrajit Singh and started hardcore muscle-building session for about 3 hours on a daily basis. He would often have to train without a full meal in his stomach and also suffer muscle strains and injuries due to fatigue.
A poor, unemployed man’s son had to take a long four-year break in his weightlifting career from 1992-1996 to support his family and worked as trainees and helpers at random courier and tyre companies on daily wages while pursuing his graduation from Marwari College.
Suraj maintains that he has to keep on juggling everything that life has thrown at him, no matter how heavy the weight and thus, draw huge inspiration to keep on the sport and the spirit. “losing my dad this year was one of the biggest setbacks of my life and the hand injury led me to only win the silver medal. I will work harder and definitely win the gold medal in the forthcoming Steel India’s Weightlifting Championship scheduled to be held in Kolkata in February. I am thankful to the railway staff for always supporting me,” said the 43-year-old.
Currently, Pawar works as a Group D worker in the Signal Telecommunication department in the Railways based here in Ranchi. He had first joined the Railways in 2004 and have been playing the sport and supporting his family of mother, wife and three children.