India’s Keyaa Kunal Banerji has given Indian powerlifting another reason to celebrate. Competing at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa, the 21-year-old delivered a powerful performance in the Junior Women’s 47kg category.

Her standout moment came in the deadlift. Weighing just 45.70kg, Banerji successfully lifted an incredible 140kg—more than three times her body weight—to claim the silver medal in the deadlift.

France’s Ines Herbaux took gold with a 165kg lift, while Ireland’s Blathnaid O’Dwyer also lifted 140kg and finished with bronze.

280kg Total on the World Stage

Banerji finished fifth overall in the 47kg junior category with a combined total of 280kg. Her successful lifts included a 90kg squat, 50kg bench press and 140kg deadlift.

But it was the deadlift that truly stole the spotlight. The 140kg effort not only secured an international medal but also underlined the remarkable strength the young Indian athlete has developed in a short span of time.

The championships were held from August 18 to 29 under the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF).

A Remarkable Year of Progress

Banerji’s performance is even more impressive when compared with her numbers from a year ago. 

At the 2025 National Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championship, she lifted 82.5kg in the squat, 47.5kg in the bench press and 127.5kg in the deadlift, finishing with a 257.5kg total.

By the 2026 national championships, her numbers had climbed to 95kg in squat, 52.5kg in bench press and 140kg in deadlift, taking her total to 287.5kg.

She also won silver in the women’s 47kg category at the 2026 National Classic Bench Press Championship.

Another Gold for India

India had another standout performance in South Africa as Joshua Ngoka won gold in the men’s 120kg category.He completed all nine attempts successfully, recording a massive 980.5kg total and an IPF Junior World record.

For Banerji, however, the message is equally powerful: she is getting stronger, lift by lift. At just 21, her journey is already gathering momentum—and that 140kg world-stage deadlift could be a sign of much bigger things to come.