Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
Indian weightlifting’s ‘Iron Lady’
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April 29, 2023
9 minutes
Available for over a year
In 2000, Indian weightlifter Karnam Malleswari became the first woman from her country to win an Olympic medal, lifting an astonishing 240kg across two categories. Nicknamed the Iron Lady, Malleswari quickly became a household name in India. She speaks to Dan Hardoon about her upbringing in a small Andhra Pradesh town, the taboos she broke to pursue her chosen career, her rapid rise to stardom, and her reflections on a landmark moment for Indian women in sport. This is a Whistledown production for BBC World Service.
(Photo: Karnam Malleswari competing in the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Credit: Getty)