The Most Amazing Indian Female Bodybuilders and Fitness Athletes

Bodybuilding is largely seen as a men’s sport especially in India. Women often find it difficult to  take up the sport of bodybuilding because of stereotypes and stigma. Yet there is a handful of women who have challanged these stereotypes and have taken up competitive bodybuilding. These women are making a mark in the national as well international arena and are a source of inspiration not only for women but for men as well. These women belong to various academic, social and financial backgrounds. Most of these are married and have children. Yet they have shown that you can  maintain excellent physique and fitness levels while efficiently managing  your family life, job, business or other responsibilities. These women are a great source of respect and inspiration for everyone.  In this two part series we are highlighting some of the leading ladies of this field. ( the order is random).

Thingbaijam Sarita Devi

Introduced into bodybuilding by her husband, Thingbaijam Sarita Devi, a mother of two is a three times national champion in bodybuilding and an international medal winner. Her husband and inlaws are very supportive despite being from a traditional family. In 2015 she clinched the overall champion title in the Satish Sugar Classic national competition held in Bangalore. The Same year she bagged the silver medal in the 49^th Asian Bodybuilding Championship held in Uzbekistan. In 2016 she bagged the bronze in the World Championship held in Bangkok. The Same year she clinched the overall title in national championship held in Maharashtra. Again she bagged the silver medal at the 50^th Asian Championship held in Bhutan in 2016 and came fourth in the World Championship held in Pattaya. In 2017 she clinched the overall champion title in the Senior Women’s’ Championship held in Madhya Pradesh.  Again she clinched Senior Women’s Miss India title at the senior Mr. India competition held at Gurgaon. 2017 she won the bronze medal at the 51st Asian Championship held in South Korea and silver medal at the World Body Building And Physique Championship 2017 held in Mongolia. Sarita clinched silver medal today in the World Body Building And Physique Championship 2017 held in Mongolia.

 

Mamota Yumnam

Mamota Yumnam was the first Indian woman to win a medal at the international level( 2012). From being a very diminutive and frail woman to developing a muscular body Mamota has gone a very long way. The mother of two kids started training under her husband Yumnam Varun who is a highly accomplished bodybuilder of India who has bagged several titles like Mr. India and Mr. Asia . In 2012 she won the bronze medal in the 52 kg category in the World Bodybuilding Championship in Bangkok. In 2013 she won bronze medal at the Asian World Championship at Vietnam. In 2015 she won bronze medals at the World Body Building Championship in Pune and World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Bangkok. In the same year she won the gold medal in senior women’s category in the 49th Asian Bodybuilding Championship in Ujbekistan. She also bagged the gold medal at the Women’s Bodybuilding Championship in Pune in 2014.

Shweta Rathore

Shweta Rathore is an international physique Athlete. She is the second Indian female bodybuilder to win medal at the international level. She started doing weight training despite resistance from her parents since she was in the 11th standard but never thought of becoming a bodybuilder. It was just a passion for fitness that kept her going. An engineer by profession she was working as a marketing executive of an MNC when she learnt about a competition in 2014.  She clinched the Miss World 2014 Fitness Physique title that year and the passion for competitive bodybuilding grew. She also bagged the Miss Asia 2015 Fitness Physique title besides the hat trick Miss India Sports Physique 2015, 2016 and 2017 .

 

 

Yashmeen Manak Chauhan

Yahmeen Manak is a two times IBBFF Ms. India gold medalist and IFBB Ms. Asia bronze medalist in body building. She is also a first runner up of  Fit Factor. Besides she also won the Gladrags Mrs. India 2005 Best Body Award. She describes herself as a headstrong independent woman. Yashmeen was raised by her grandparents as her parents had a broken marriage. Emotional distress, health issues and strong medicines had made her overweight and filled her face with acne as she was growing up. Peers and even relatives taunted her as ‘ugly’ and this made her more determind to show the world what she is made of. Today she is a leading fitness instructor and athlete in India.

 

Kiran Dembla

Kiran Dembla

From 75 kg body weight to formidable six packs, this super fit 40 plus mom has a an mazing story. Kiran was a trained classical singer and had never thought about bodybuilding until in her early thirties when she had two kids. Her weight increased and at one point she gained 75 kg.  After trying a lot of methods she started going to the gym to do weight training. Gradually she started developing a toned chiselled body and decided to be a competitive bodybuilder. Initially her family and the society was not supportive of her decision to flaunt her body on stage in a two piece bikini but she did not let such things dissuade her and with unwavered determination, embarked on a new journey. Today she is a celebrity fitness trainer who trains a lot of celebritiies including top class film stars.

Bhumika Sharma

Bhumika Sharma is the first Indian Miss World in Bodybuilding. The 21 year old clinched the title at the championship help in Italy in 2017 organised by the World Amateur Body Building Association.  She got into bodybuilding to deal with obesity despite banters. Despite banters from people she took on competitive bodybuilding and made history for the country.

Deepika Choudhury

A scientist by profession, Deepika Choudhury is the only Indian female fitness bodybuilder who holds the IFBB Pro card. She had clinched the overall Figure title at the 2015 NPC Steve Stone Metropolitan Championship held in the US in 2014. She also represented India in the Arnold Classic in 2017. The moleculer biologist working with National Institute of Virology got inspired to take up bodybuilding after attending a workshop in 2012.

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MY DECISION to give powerlifting sport a shot invited a lot of questions from some of my friends and well-wishers. They see me loosing muscle definition and six pack abs ?. They wonder why I would lose such hard earned aesthetics. They ask me how I feel. So here is my heartfelt answer: I feel I am big and beautiful. I feel am curvy and cute. But most importantly I feel strong and confident! And trust me what you *truly* feel from inside is all that matters than how you appear on your outside! Nothing feels more freeing and empowering than allowing my opinion to be the only which matters. Cheers to all the shapes and sizes!! We are not objects. We are humans…let’s not forget that for the sake of our own goodness and sanity! #beyourkindofbeautiful #strongisbeautiful #noselfobjectification Photography: @credosian

A post shared by IFBB Pro Deepika Chowdhury (@deepikapune_ifbbpro) on Oct 5, 2017 at 12:18am PDT

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? #arnoldclassicau #bombshellproud #bombshellfitness #bombshellnews #wherelsecafe #firstfittgym #ifbb #ifbbpro #figureathleteindia #godsgrace #believeinblessings

A post shared by IFBB Pro Deepika Chowdhury (@deepikapune_ifbbpro) on Apr 3, 2017 at 2:45am PDT

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Rebita Devi

This biochemical engineer was a boxer, taekwando and wushu player before taking up bodybuilding.  Initially she hit the gym to strengthen her muscles but her trainers suggested her to go for bodybuilding  competition. She won a bronze medal in the World Body Building and Physique Sports Championship held in Mumbai in 2014. Rebita also won a bronze at the 49th Asian Bodybuilding Championship 2015 at Tashkent in Uzbekistan and another bronze at the 50th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2016 in 2016 in Bhutan.

Sonali Swami

This 40 plus mom of two is the winner of Fit Factor by Bodypower India 2014, Muscle Mania India 2014 in the Model and FItness  category and bronze medal in the Asian Bodybuilding Competition 2017. She was also on an international TV Realty show Spartan X.  She is a leading fitness trainer and trains several celebrities in India.

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?ARE YOU CONFIDENT IN YOUR OWN SKIN ? . . ??TAG SOMEONE WHO IS?? . For so long, femininity has been based on a rigid set of beauty standards…. . . I definitely don’t fall under THOSE standards ? BUT…, I do know for sure that MY MUSCLES and MY FEMININITY are not at odds with one another. . . In fact, it is my beauty( we all are beautiful in our own way ?) strength, and ferocity that make me undoubtedly feminine. . . . I EMBRACE WHOLE OF “ME”??

A post shared by Sonali Swami (@sonali_swami) on Feb 2, 2018 at 11:24pm PST

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?MY LIFE … For several years, I was not sure what I wanted in life. However, I knew it would be a waste to never discover myself!!!!! For me, there was a lot of confusion, many questions. It wasn’t a comfortable process. But, When I started asking the questions, I found MY answers. . Have YOU found yours? . If not, start asking yourself. . Listen to your heart regardless of what others may say. . ??All that matters is your encouragement, not others’ discouragement. . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ . #mylifemyway #beyourself #beyourselfalways #livefornow #beauthentic #beyou #beyourbest #whoyouare #thisisyourlife #liveyourpurpose #beyourownboss #listentoyourheart #sundayvibes #sundays . ~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A post shared by Sonali Swami (@sonali_swami) on Feb 18, 2018 at 3:00am PST