Bengaluru, Oct 30 Nineteen-year-old Sohursh Shankar, who clinched gold at the 2026 Amateur World Powerlifting Congress Championships in Manchester, the UK, was felicitated here by Karnataka Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Mahesh Babu, officials said.
The felicitation, organised by PHYSIS, an institution that works with children with disabilities, on October 29, celebrated Shankar’s international achievement and highlighted the importance of fostering inclusive environments that recognise individual abilities and aspirations, the institute said in a statement.
Shankar, a former student of PHYSIS by TALC (The Alternative Learning Community), won gold in the 75-kg Junior Special Olympics Classic Raw category with a combined lift of 242.5 kg, it said.
His performance comprised a 90-kg squat, a 50-kg bench press and a 102.5-kg deadlift. The championship, held in September, featured athletes from 15 countries, according to the institute.
Speaking at the event, Mahesh Babu said discrimination should never deprive anyone of the right to live with dignity, equality and purpose. Society must move beyond sympathy and embrace inclusion, understanding and action, he said.
He also highlighted the role of mothers in supporting their children and helping them realise their potential.
Sharing her son’s journey, his mother, Anitha Shankar, said sports and fitness had always been part of the family’s lifestyle, and they had encouraged him to remain physically active. His initial interest in tennis eventually led him to powerlifting.
Recalling his early years, when he had low muscle tone and delayed developmental milestones, Anitha said his journey to competing at the international level had involved years of perseverance, training and family support.
PHYSIS focuses on the holistic development of children with disabilities through academics, sports, creative activities and therapy. It follows TALC’s Transformative Education Model and enables students to complete Classes X and XII through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
Founded by Ernie Frantz in 1986, the World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) has a presence in 46 countries, whose athletes compete in its annual World Championships. The organisation describes itself as a lifter-centric body committed to conducting competitive, high-quality powerlifting events.
(PTI News)
