Who Is Keyaa Kunal Banerji? Here's How Her Viral 140kg Deadlift Propelled Powerlifting Into India’s Sporting Mainstream

A viral video of 21-year-old Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji has pushed an otherwise niche sport into mainstream conversation after her 140kg deadlift at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa. The lift earned Banerji a silver medal in the individual deadlift event and drew attention because it was more than three times her competition bodyweight of 45.70kg.

Clips of the effort are now circulating widely on social media. Users have praised Banerji’s strength, commented on her appearance and, more notably, welcomed the fact that a powerlifting performance is being discussed alongside more established Indian sports.

The buzz around Banerji has also opened up a wider story. India’s women produced a strong set of results in South Africa, with Banerji’s silver, Madhura Kar’s four gold medals and Asma Taherali Zabuawala’s sixth-place finish showing range across categories.

Who Is Keyaa Banerji?

Banerji competes in the Junior Women’s 47kg category. At 45.70kg, her bodyweight made the scale of her deadlift stand out even more on the world championship stage.

She finished with a 280kg total. That included a 90kg squat, a 50kg bench press and the 140kg deadlift that brought her silver. In the overall 47kg junior standings, she placed fifth.

Her best result came in the individual deadlift event. France’s Ines Herbaux won that segment with 165kg. Ireland’s Blathnaid O’Dwyer also lifted 140kg, but Banerji finished ahead of her in the deadlift standings to take silver.

The result fits a clear upward trend. At the 2025 national championship, Banerji managed an 82.5kg squat, 47.5kg bench press and 127.5kg deadlift for a 257.5kg total. At the 2026 national championship, she improved to a 95kg squat, 52.5kg bench press and 140kg deadlift for a 287.5kg total.

That matters here. The 140kg effort in South Africa was not a one-off lift but the latest step in a rapidly improving career.

Who Else Stood Out?

India had another major winner. Madhura Kar, a young powerlifter from Jalpaiguri, dominated the Sub-Junior Women’s 52kg category with four gold medals.

Kar weighed 49.35kg and lifted 107.5kg in the squat, 60kg in the bench press and 125kg in the deadlift. Her total was 292.5kg, and she won gold in all four disciplines.

Her rise has been quick. Kar is a Class XII student from Jalpaiguri. She won the National Powerlifting Championship in 2024 and retained the title in 2025. She also won the National Bench Press Championship in Faridabad this year.

She had already impressed earlier in 2026. Kar finished second overall and won silver for India at the Asian Powerlifting Championship in China.

India’s third highlighted women’s lifter was Asma Taherali Zabuawala. Competing in the Sub-Junior Women’s 84+kg category, she finished sixth overall with a 132.5kg squat, 75kg bench press and 165kg deadlift for a 372.5kg total.

Why Did It Spread?

The sport rarely gets this attention. In India, powerlifting does not usually draw the mainstream interest that cricket, football, badminton or athletics command.

Banerji’s lift was easy to grasp at a glance. A 45.70kg athlete deadlifting 140kg at a world championship needs little explanation, which is a big reason the clip travelled well beyond the regular powerlifting audience.

The numbers explain the reaction. Her deadlift was 3.06 times her bodyweight. Her overall 280kg total was more than six times her competition bodyweight.

That combination made the moment shareable. Banerji’s silver medal gave Indian powerlifting a rare viral moment.

What Does It Mean?

The results matter beyond one clip. Banerji’s silver medal gave Indian powerlifting visibility that the sport rarely gets in India.

Kar’s four-gold haul and Zabuawala’s sixth-place finish added weight to that story. Together, the performances showed India competing strongly across divisions, from the lighter categories to the heavier classes.