On 12 July, Weightlifter Jyoshna Sabar again made India proud by winning gold in the 40 kg youth category in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Greater Noida. Jyoshna bagged the gold medal by lifting a total of 116 kg, including 52 kg in snatch and 64 kg in clean jerk.

Jyoshna hails from the Pekata village in the Rayagada block of Odisha’s Gajapati district. A first-generation Adivasi student and daughter of farmer couple Kirtan Sabar and Gachameri Sabar, Jyoshna joined the Gram Vikas Residential High School of Kankia village in 2016.

The school headmaster Debendranath Das received a surprise call on Friday from Jyoshna, expressing sheer joy and excitement about her win as a weightlifter at the latest global championship she participated in.

Reflecting on the conversation, headmaster Debendranath shared, “The moment I answered the call, she exclaimed, ‘Sir, I got the gold!’ and couldn’t contain her excitement over this outstanding accomplishment.” Curious about her plans, he asked her what she intends to pursue next.

Recalling their conversation, the headmaster recounted, “Jyoshna, who joined the school in 2016, replied with determination, ‘It’s a long journey ahead, and I have so many milestones to achieve. I plan to play in the senior category someday. I want to do better.’ She expressed her deep gratitude to me and all her teachers at the school, thanking us sincerely for the unwavering support we provided throughout her academic journey.”

Earlier this year, Jyoshna bagged a silver and bronze medal at the Youth World Weightlifting Championship held at Durres in Albania.

A Tenvic High-Performance Weightlifting Centre trainee in Bhubaneswar Jyoshna practised hard, dedicating her time to the sport. She is pursuing her studies at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar.

As many as 253 weightlifters, including 52 Indians, compete across the senior, junior and youth categories in the five-day tournament. The tournament will also serve as a test run for the prestigious Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) Asian Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championship, slated to begin later this month. India is hosting the game for the second time, having successfully organised it in Pune in 2015.

Jyoshna’s resounding success has undoubtedly brought immense pride and joy to the Gram Vikas High School, her parents and her village in Pekata in the Gajapati district.

As she sets her sights on future endeavours, her commitment to continual improvement and gratitude towards her teachers testify to her exceptional character and determination.