Sri Vijay Puram, April 30: After earning gold medals in rowing and capturing national attention, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are now setting their sights on a new frontier, competitive weightlifting. At the heart of this movement is Car Nicobar, where a group of 20 tribal girls aged between 13 and 15 is undergoing rigorous training to make their national-level debut in weightlifting.
Under the guidance of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Tribal Council of Car Nicobar, the initiative aims to identify and nurture athletic potential among young girls from remote communities. Training is currently underway at the SAI Training Centre in Lapathy, where a structured daily schedule, designed to meet the demanding standards of the sport, is already in place.
Coach Chidambaram Rajan, who leads the training program, expressed optimism about the group’s potential. “These girls are highly disciplined and show immense strength for their age group. Potential lifters are preparing to take the stage, the future looks strong, swift, and proudly island-born,” he stated.
This initiative is not an isolated effort but part of a growing sports ecosystem taking shape in the islands. The region has already made waves nationally with recent performances in rowing, kayaking, and cycling. Amrita Minj, a young athlete from the Islands, recently clinched gold in the Lightweight Women’s Individual 2000m event at the 8th Indoor National Rowing Championship, a testament to the islands’ burgeoning sporting prowess.
The weightlifting program, which started in October 2024, is being seen as a long-term investment in youth empowerment. Debosmita, the outgoing SAI Assistant Director at Sri Vijay Puram and a key architect behind grassroots sports infrastructure, emphasized the program’s wider goals. “Weightlifting is often an attractive sport for tribal communities like the Nicobarese. It resonates with their natural strengths and cultural values,” she explained.
Why Weightlifting Works in Tribal Regions
Weightlifting has emerged as a natural fit for many in tribal areas, especially in Car Nicobar, for several reasons:
- Natural Strength and Endurance: The Nicobarese lifestyle includes physically intensive activities such as farming, fishing, and forestry, which build a strong physical base ideal for weightlifting.
- Cultural Respect for Strength: Physical prowess is often revered in tribal cultures. Formal training in weightlifting provides a modern outlet for this traditional value, offering recognition both within and outside the community.
- Low Infrastructure Demand: Unlike sports requiring complex facilities, weightlifting requires minimal yet essential equipment, making it suitable for remote and resource-limited areas.
- Community Identity and Mobility: Individual sports like weightlifting offer athletes a chance to represent their communities on larger platforms, opening doors to scholarships, job opportunities, and even national or international fame.
Recognizing these advantages, the SAI’s STC Residential Scheme offers comprehensive support to the trainees. This includes free lodging, diet, sports kits, educational expenses, competition exposure, medical care, and insurance coverage, ensuring that financial constraints do not become a barrier to talent development.
Parents and local leaders have welcomed the initiative, seeing it as a blend of opportunity and empowerment. “For many of these girls, this is their first time experiencing structured sports training. It’s not just about lifting weights; it’s about lifting aspirations,” said a Tribal Council member.
As India continues to deepen its bench strength in Olympic sports like weightlifting, Car Nicobar’s young athletes may well become the face of a new, inclusive sporting generation, one that reflects both the strength of tradition and the ambition of modern India.
With the right mix of training, institutional backing, and cultural alignment, the Nicobar Islands could soon add another sport to their growing medal tally.
