Karnam Malleswari facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 1 June 1975 Voosavanipeta, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India |
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| Residence | Yamunanagar, Haryana, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 163 cm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Weightlifting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Leonid Taranenko | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Karnam Malleswari, born on June 1, 1975, is a famous retired weightlifter from India. She made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympic Games in 2000. For her amazing achievements, she received important awards like the Arjuna Award in 1994, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (India's highest sports honor) in 1999, and the Padma Shri award in 1999.
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Karnam Malleswari's Weightlifting Career
Karnam Malleswari was a very successful weightlifter. She won world titles in the 54 kg weight class in both 1994 and 1995. She also earned third place in 1993 and 1996.
Early World Championship Wins
In 1994, Malleswari won a silver medal at the World Championships held in Istanbul. The next year, in 1995, she won the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Korea. She also set a record at the World Championships in China that year, lifting 113 kg. Even before her Olympic success, Malleswari was a two-time world champion. She had won 29 international medals, including 11 gold medals.
Olympic Glory in Sydney
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Malleswari showed incredible strength. She lifted 110 kg in the "snatch" part of the competition. Then, she lifted 130 kg in the "clean and jerk" part. Her total lift was 240 kg.
This amazing effort earned her the bronze medal. She became the first Indian woman ever to win an Olympic medal. She was also the first Indian weightlifter, whether male or female, to achieve an Olympic medal. Her medal was the only one India won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Personal Life and Training
Karnam Malleswari was born into a family in Srikakulam, India. She has four sisters.
Starting Her Journey
Malleswari began her weightlifting journey at just 12 years old. She trained under a coach named Neelamshetty Appanna. Later, she moved to Delhi to get even better training. Her talent was quickly noticed by the Sports Authority of India. In 1990, Malleswari joined the national training camp. Just four years later, she became a world champion in weightlifting.
Family Life and Retirement
In 1997, Malleswari married Rajesh Tyagi, who was also a weightlifter. In 2001, a year after winning her Olympic medal, she became a mother to a son. She had planned to compete again at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. However, she had to withdraw because her father passed away. She officially retired from the sport after the 2004 Olympics.
Today, Karnam Malleswari and Rajesh Tyagi live in Yamunanagar, Haryana, with their son and other family members. She works as a Chief General Manager for General Administration at the Food Corporation of India. In June 2021, she was also chosen to be the vice-chancellor of the Sports University, which was started by the government of Delhi.
Awards and Honors
Karnam Malleswari has received several prestigious awards for her contributions to sports:
- She was honored with the Arjuna Award in 1994.
- She received the Padma Shri Award in 1999.
- She also received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1999, which is India's highest award for sports.
