After fighting financial hardships, Jharkhand weightlifter Babulal charting his own path

When a former Army coach Gurvinder Singh suggested that Babulal Hembrom stop playing other sports and take up weightlifting given his body structure, the biggest challenge for the teenager from Keribanda village in Ramgarh District of Jharkhand was to find funds to pursue the sport.

But instead of giving up, Babulal began training by using bamboo sticks and iron rods at construction sites before joining the Jharkhand State Sports Promotion Society coaching centre, which meant commuting 60 km daily to train under Gurvinder.

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“It was a tough period for me when I took up the sport in 2018. Financially, we couldn’t afford the equipment and the kit to train and hence I would make do with bamboo sticks and iron rods. Then I got coaching support from JSPS and my coach and here I am,” said Babulal, who won the silver medal in the men’s 60kg category at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 in Raipur.

It was a tough period for me when I took up the sport in 2018. Financially, we couldn’t afford the equipment and the kit to train and hence I would make do with bamboo sticks and iron rods, says Babulal Hembrom

“My mother works as a cook in a local school, and my father does odd jobs, and we always struggled for financial stability. But I am confident that all this success at Khelo India events will change as I win more such medals,” said the youngest of the five siblings at just 19 years of age.

Babulal Hembrom has been making his mark on the national and international stage in the age-group circuit for a while. In 2024, he clinched the Khelo India Youth Games gold in the 49kg category in Chennai and then went on to win medals at the IWF World Youth Weightlifting Championships and also the Asian Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships.

Babulal has set sights on senior circuit

Babulal is now making the transformation to the senior circuit and has set his sights on making it to the Indian team for major international tournaments as he is now part of the national camps in Patiala.

“This silver medal at the Khelo India Tribal Games has given me the confidence that I am on the right path with my training. Once I go back to the national camp, I will speak to my coaches to decide my future targets and then train accordingly. Definitely my ambitions are the represent India in major international events like the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the world championships,” Babulal added.

The Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) is a dedicated national sporting platform established under the Government of India’s Khelo India initiative, with the specific mandate of identifying, nurturing, and celebrating athletic talent from tribal communities across the country.

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Rooted in the belief that India’s tribal regions are a vast, largely untapped reservoir of sporting excellence, the Games are designed to provide structured competitive exposure at the highest level while simultaneously honouring the indigenous sporting traditions that have thrived in these communities for centuries.

The inaugural edition, being hosted by Chhattisgarh from March 25 to April 3, 2026, will feature 9 sports disciplines, 7 competitive sports (archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling) and 2 demonstration sports (mallakhamb and kabaddi), spread across the venues of Raipur, Jagdalpur, and Ambikapur.