140kg deadlift: Who is Keyaa who lifted over 3 times her body weight for World silver?
21-year-old Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji won a silver medal in the deadlift event at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships. She successfully lifted 140kg, which is more than three times her body weight.
Why it matters
Her performance has sparked mainstream conversation about powerlifting in India, highlighting the growing success of Indian athletes in niche strength sports.
A viral video of a young Indian woman pulling an extraordinary weight off the floor has put powerlifting in the Indian sports conversation, with 21-year-old Keyaa Kunal Banerji emerging as the unlikely face of the buzz.Banerji's stunning 140kg deadlift at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa, has caught attention not just because it earned her a silver medal, but because the lift was more than three times her competition bodyweight of 45.70kg.Social media users have been sharing clips of the lift while congratulating Banerji, with reactions ranging from admiration for her strength to comments about her appearance. More importantly, several users celebrated the fact that an achievement in powerlifting was generating mainstream sporting discussion in India.Who is Keyaa Kunal Banerji?Banerji is a 21-year-old Indian powerlifter competing in the Junior Women's 47kg category.
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