Silver at Asian weightlifting, but Bindyarani Devi worries for family in violence-hit Manipur

India's Bindyarani Devi made the whole nation proud of her after she won a silver medal in the Women's 55kg competition at the Asian Championships 2023, in Jinju, South Korea. However, one thing that would be running through the mind of the lifter would be the safety of her parents in violence-hit Manipur.

She has not been able to speak with them for the past two days owing to the internet shutdown in her native state.

According to PTI, the 24-year-old athlete broke down on the phone expressing her distress at not being able to speak to her parents.

"Har competition ke pehle mumma mujhe call karke ashrivaad deti hain par aaj aisa nahi hua (My mother blesses me before all my competitions. But today, I couldn't speak to her)," she said.

The prolonged violence has tragically claimed countless lives, injured several others, and led to a shoot-at-sight order. Nearly 10,000 army, paramilitary, and central police personnel have been sent to the afflicted state in reaction to the violence that has broken out.

"The internet is shut down, I haven't been able to talk to them, and I am scared. Even today, before going for the competition I felt like crying," Bindyarani said.

The Commonwealth Games silver medalist began India's medal count at this event with a total effort of 194kg (83 kg+111 kg). She also took home the silver medal in the clean and jerk category. The medals, however, are for a weight class that is not Olympic.

The Manipuri had moved to the 59kg weight class, which features in the Paris Olympics, during last year’s World Championships, where she finished 25th.