From helping her father, a fruit vendor in West Bengal, make ends meet to earning a place in the Indian team for the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship 2026, Sneha Gharami’s journey is a story of grit, sacrifice and determination.
The second-year BA student of CT University has been selected to represent India in the Junior 76 kg category at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship to be held in Winnipeg, Canada, from September 17 to 27.
A sports scholar at CT University, Sneha recently created a new national record in squats. At the National Equipped Powerlifting Championship in Hyderabad in June, she lifted 222.5 kg in squats, surpassing her own previous national record of 212.5 kg set in the sub-junior category in 2024.
She also won two gold medals (squats and deadlift) and a silver medal (bench press) at the championship.
Known for lifting a combined weight of around 550 kg across the squat, bench press and deadlift events, Sneha is steadily establishing herself as one of India’s rising powerlifting stars.
Currently training in West Bengal, the Howrah native said CT University’s sports scholarship, which covers her boarding, lodging, diet and tuition fees, had helped her pursue her dream despite financial constraints.
“My father Uttam Gharami is a fruit vendor and my mother Smriti is a homemaker. They made countless sacrifices for me. My mother even pledged her jewellery to support my training. I want to make my parents proud and improve our financial condition,” she said.
Sneha said affording specialised equipment and competition gear remains a challenge, with many purchases being made in installments. However, support from her family, coaches, local well-wishers and the sporting fraternity has helped her continue.
Her achievements include three gold medals each at the Asian Equipped Powerlifting Championships in Kerala (2023) and Dehradun (2025), overall gold at the National Equipped Powerlifting Championship, Punjab (2024), and overall gold at the Federation Cup Powerlifting Championship, Delhi (2024).
Congratulating the athlete, CT Group Managing Director and CT University Pro-Chancellor Dr Manbir Singh said Sneha’s selection for the Commonwealth Championship was a matter of immense pride for the university and reflected her determination and excellence.
