While most children her age are learning nursery rhymes and playing with toys, two-year-and-eight-month-old Radhika Gadiya from Bengaluru is making headlines for an extraordinary feat of strength.
The toddler recently won a gold medal in the deadlift category at the World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) Karnataka State Championship 2026, held on June 6. Weighing just 17 kg, Radhika successfully lifted 20 kg, leaving spectators amazed and earning widespread admiration online.
A video of her performance, shared by her father, has gone viral on social media, garnering more than 2.4 million views.
Inspired by her elder sister
Radhika’s journey began after watching her six-year-old sister, Aarya Gadiya, perform remarkable strength-based activities. Aarya became widely known in 2025 after appearing on a television talent show where she pulled a 2,000 kg SUV.
According to their father, Sanjay Gadiya, a professional weightlifter and black-belt karate practitioner, Radhika first expressed interest in lifting weights when she was just one-and-a-half years old.
To test her strength, he placed a 10 kg loaded barbell before her, expecting she would be unable to move it. To his surprise, she lifted it with ease and even managed a 12 kg load.
A family of young champions
The sisters recently competed at the same championship, where Aarya also secured a gold medal after lifting 85 kg in her category.
Sanjay attributes their achievements to a combination of natural ability, discipline and family support. Despite assumptions about specialised diets, he says the family follows a simple Jain vegetarian lifestyle.
The girls consume milk, curd and home-cooked meals, while maintaining an active routine with limited screen time.
Training under supervision
Responding to concerns raised online about children lifting weights at such a young age, Sanjay said the training is carefully supervised and designed to be age-appropriate.
He noted that the girls undergo regular health check-ups and that medical specialists have advised that properly monitored physical activity is safe for children.
Away from competitions, Radhika and Aarya enjoy playing games, clay modelling and spending time with family, balancing childhood fun with their growing sporting achievements.