Slow and steady wins the race. Noida’s champion powerlifter Daljit Singh is proving it with one lift at a time. After getting several records to his name, Daljit is now serving as the President of Power Lifting Corporation of India and guiding the Indian youth in a game that has increased in popularity in the last decade. In a candid conversation with Sports Tak, Daljit revealed how the road to glory was not always filled with rose petals and recalled a time when he almost gave up on the sport.
Recalling his journey, Daljit said, "I started weightlifting in the year 1998 at the age of 16 to 17 years. But after playing state and nationals, seeing that there was no further career, I took up weightlifting. After that, I started focusing on power lifting and never looked back."
How he became the President of PLCI
Daljit is currently the President of the World Powerlifting Congress of India. The 42-year-old Daljit narrated his journey to the position as he said, "In the year 2018, I myself got the powerlifting championship organized in India for the first time. After that, gradually I started getting support from the corporate. That's why in the year 2019, I founded the US-based World Power Interacted with the Lifting Congress and they gave me permission to take this sport forward in India for one year. This was the turning point for me and I never looked back. I took powerlifting to a better path. On the back of the tournaments, the World Powerlifting Congress of India was established in India and I got the post of President."
Reason to hang his boots?
"Look, weightlifting is a very technique-based sport and after a certain age, you cannot do it. When it comes to powerlifting, it is done only on the basis of strength. That's why due to my age, I turned my career towards powerlifting and won many championships in it.
Daljit has achieved a long list of milestones during his powerlifting career. Recently, he also won the gold medal in the World Powerlifting Championship hosted in UK. "I have won gold medals in many world championships in a row. I am a sportsman as well as the president of powerlifting. That's why I have a double duty. We have also opened an academy in Noida. In which 600 to 700 powerlifters train and they also get medals all over the world,” the veteran added.
Daljit told his mission
Daljit also talked about his plans to take the sport further in India, "Powerlifting is not included in the Olympics right now that's why all the organisations are working towards taking the sport to the Olympics. My first mission in India is to take this sport to the Ministry of Sports as it needs to be brought under it so that the players who play it can also get help from the government."
List of Daljit's achievements
1. Won the World Championships in Russia in 2017.
2. Won Silver Medal in 2018 World Championships in UK. Raw Powerlifting 82.5kg Class Master 1 with dope test negative report created 2 world records by lifting 230kg open squat and 242.5kg deadlift.
3. Won the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
4. Won the World Cup in Russia in 2019.
5. Won the Asian Championship in Kyrgyzstan in 2019.
6. Awarded the prestigious Sena Medal by the Government of Kyrgyzstan in 2019.
7. In 2019, Finland won the silver medal at the World Championships.
8. Won Gold Medal in 2021 World Cup held in Kyrgyzstan. Equipped with negative dope test report, he created world record with a 260 kg deadlift in 82.5 master 1.
9. Won gold medal in 2022 Central Asian Championships in Kyrgyzstan.
10. Won Gold Medal in 2022 World Championship in UK.
