Saniya Anjum/Bengaluru

From childhood scarred by father’s absence to lifting 300 kg after undergoing a caesarean section and earning accolades, Khudsiya Nazeer’s journey is an embodiment of her belief - "We should write our own life’s destination with determination, embracing the values of the society."

The story of Khudsiya, known by her popular name Khushi, is one of sheer grit, faith, and passion for sports that has inspired many women to break taboos and challenge societal norms.

She was born in the small town of Bangarpet, Kolar district, Karnataka, into a conservative Muslim family.

Today, Khudsiya, 38, is a world-record-holding weightlifter, International Masters Weightlifting Champion, and an emblem of women’s empowerment.

Khudsiya’s early life was marked by profound loss. At age two, she lost her father, Mohammed Khasim, a wrestler whose legacy sparked her own sporting ambitions.

Raised by her mother, whom she describes as "innocent" with "no knowledge of worldly matters," Khudsiya dreamed of being different from childhood. "I always wished to achieve something different," she recalls.

The absence of her father cast a shadow of persistent depression over Khudsiya, worsened by a conservative Muslim community marked by gender discrimination and domestic challenges from her husband.

"If my father were alive, I would have been an IAS or an Olympian," she reflects, imagining alternate paths her life could have taken. “Struggles help one to escalate, not to crush oneself," she said.

She begins her day at 4 AM with namaz, trusting in Allah while pairing faith with relentless hard work. "Every person has to take care of themselves and achieve, not depending on anyone," she declares, embodying self-reliance in a society that often demands women’s dependence.

Her father’s wrestling legacy was a powerful inspiration as she pursued sports to honour his memory and carve her own path.

In Bangarpet’s conservative community, Khudsiya faced relentless societal pushback. Men mocked women who dared to step into public spaces for physical activities, viewing such pursuits as taboo or even "haram." She recalls an incident while practising walks in a local stadium to shed post-pregnancy weight, clad in a burqa.

The jeers from onlookers were sharp, but Khudsiya’s resolve was sharper. "They thought a woman in a burqa was weak," she says, her defiance palpable. Refusing to be silenced, she approached SP Divya Gopinath with a complaint. The response was swift: two burqa-clad women were sent to accompany her, backed by 20 constables.

"The people who mocked me understood that the woman is not as weak as they thought," she says, a moment that transformed her pain into power. "I have made my pains as fuel to uplift myself," she declares.

This incident was a defining moment, reinforcing her belief that challenges could be confronted head-on.

She chose weightlifting—the toughest sport—to "combat my depression and the burden of unfortunate circumstances."

After a Caesarean delivery, she battled weight gain and depression and also the perception that "post-delivery and particularly after Caesarean, it’s impossible to do anything."

"After becoming a mom, the strength of a woman increases," Kudsiya says.  When she was 25, she joined a local gym to shed weight and reclaim her mental health. "I felt happier and lighter," she recalls

Unlike beginners struggling with 5 kg dumbbells, Khudsiya effortlessly lifted 10 kg.

A pivotal moment came when she deadlifted 110 kg during a gym session, prompting a friend to urge her to compete in powerlifting. "That changed my life," she says. Under the guidance of coach Mohammed Amanullah, Khudsiya honed her talent.

Amanullah says Khudsiya had been very hardworking, and her goal was clear—pride to train her," she shares, crediting his mentorship for her meteoric rise. Balancing a full-time job as a first divisional assistant at Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) since 2005, she trained for three hours in the morning and later in the evening.

She credits KSRTC supervisors, including former MD Anbu Kumar, for granting her flexible working hours.

Weightlifting, Khudsiya warns, is a "dangerous sport," but she distinguishes between calculated effort and recklessness. "Putting life in danger is called ego lifting, which is foolishness," she says. Technique is paramount: "One must know what they are lifting; that one moment needs a lot of variations."

Shunning shortcuts, she follows a natural, protein-rich, mostly vegetarian diet, eating six times a day to fuel her gruelling regimen. "No steroids, no supplements—shortcuts might be fatal," she cautions, advocating for sustainable strength-building. She dismisses excuses that trap people in comfort zones, emphasising that physical activity can heal ailments like lower back pain more effectively than idleness.

Her disciplined approach bore fruit on December 6, 2022, when she set a world record as the first woman to lift 300 kg (110 kg squat, 120 kg deadlift, 70 kg bench press) post-Caesarean, recognised by the Magic Book of Records and Worldwide World Records.  

Khudsiya’s international breakthrough came in May 2023 at the Asia Pacific Masters Games in Jeonbuk, South Korea, where she clinched three gold medals, becoming the first Muslim woman from India to win international weightlifting medals.

On November 4, 2023, she secured a silver at the Masters Weightlifting Mediterranean-International Open in Athens. Her prowess earned her selections for the 2024 European Masters Games in Finland, German Masters Weightlifting Championship, and Commonwealth Masters in Australia, where she won gold in the 35+ women’s category.

Each victory fulfilled her vow: "Desh ka naam aur qaum ka naam roshan karungi" (I will brighten the nation’s and community’s name).

Felicitated by former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and honoured with Rs 2.5 lakh by the state’s minority development corporation, she used the funds for international travel. Recognised by figures like Manoj Jain and Raufuddin Kacheriwale, she earned awards like Power Women (2019), Sports Achiever (2022), Iron Lady of India (2023), and an invitation to speak at Harvard University on women’s empowerment, dubbed "Bangarpet to Boston."

Her MBA in HR and diploma in Software Applications complement her role as a social activist, serving as National Organisational Secretary for the International Forum for Anti-Corruption’s Women’s Wing, Digital Marketing Head for the Masters Games Federation of India, and General Secretary for Karnataka Masters Games Association.

Khudsiya’s message is a powerful antidote to societal constraints: "Education is the only solution for all problems and to recognise the purpose of life—it’s the root to financial independence, a basic need for every woman." She insists that "at least one sport in life is a must in every human’s life, particularly women," fostering resilience and self-discovery.

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Honoured at events like IIM Bangalore’s Staff Recreation Club and Crossroada Studio in Dallas, Texas, she continues to advocate for women’s rights and sports. "Don’t be bogged down by negativity," she advises, urging women to pursue their passions without compromise.