Age is only a number. Especially in the case of K.C. Sreenivasan. This 67-year-old is a powerlifting champion who doesn’t let his age get in the way of his ambitions. His affinity for powerlifting and hard work have given him a strong body, one that most youngsters can only dream of. Discipline and strict workouts have brought him a long way.
A bunch of medals displayed in the showcase at Sreenivasan’s house clearly states his winning history. In 2009, he began participating in powerlifting contests. Before that he focused on bodybuilding competitions for 47 years. He won the Mr. Ernakulam title in 1984. Today, when it comes to powerlifting, he participates in the Master III for the 60+ unoccupied category.
“The maximum weight lifted by me is 300 kg till date. As much as 87.5 kg was lifted in squats and bench press and 125 kg in deadlift at Jammu and Kashmir,” he says. In the national level, there are many strong participants from other states.
Sreenivasan, who represents Kerala in these competitions, has won the title due to his own self-motivation, confidence and hard work.
All his energy requirements are met through the healthy food made at home sans steroids or supplements. He advices all aspiring powerlifters to go only for healthy, natural foods and be calm and tension free.
There are many people whose contributions go unnoticed. It’s been the same with Sreenivasan, who worked in the press of a Malayalam daily for 41 years. He does not have any other backup and only relies on the support of his family. He has done all the training and workouts on his own without any guidance of a coach or trainer.
Even after representing the state, he has not received any appreciation from any of the sectors and nobody has come forward to provide any financial support till now. His main expenses are travel costs, participation fees, food and accommodation. The major dilemma that he now faces is of the title costume that costs more than he can afford. Due to this, he is unable to compete in the international level and is currently in need of sponsorships.
