Who is Keyaa Banerji? Meet the viral Indian Powerlifter from Haryana
The powerlifter recently won a silver medal at the IPF Sub Junior World Championships
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Indian powerlifter Keyaa Banerji (Full name: Keyaa Kunal Banerji) has caught everyone’s attention, lifting 140kg in a deadlift, and her skills have taken over the internet. This fantastic effort was during the 2026 IPF World Sub Junior and Junior Classic Powerlifting Championship in Sun City, South Africa, where she took the silver medal in the individual deadlift event of the Junior Women’s 47kg category.
One of the biggest highlights of her achievement was the significant difference between her weight and the weight on the bar. The 21-year-old weighs just 45.70 kg, but lifted more than three times her body weight; the effort became the highlight of her stint and went viral on social media.
Who is Keyaa Banerji?
Keyaa is an Indian powerlifter who competed in the Junior Women’s 47kg category. She lifted around 280 kg in South Africa, with a 90kg squat, 50kg bench press and 140kg deadlift.
She finished fifth in the junior 47kg division, but her deadlift had everyone talking. Her 140kg effort ensured a second-place finish in the category.
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Ines Herbaux from France ranked first in the deadlift with 165kg, while Blathnaid O’Dwyer from Ireland lifted 140 kg. O’Dwyer finished second to Banerji, who took silver.
She posted an 82.5kg squat, 47.5kg bench press and 127.5kg deadlift for a total of 257.5kg at the 2025 National Championship. This year, she further shattered her own record at the same event, hoisting 95kg in the squat, 52.5kg in the bench press and 140kg in the deadlift for a total of 287.5kg.
What you need to know about the latest competition
Another Indian athlete besides Keyaa who excelled in South Africa was Madhura Kar, who won four gold medals in the Sub-Junior women’s 52kg category.
Weighing around 49.35kg, Madhura lifted 107.5kg in the squat, 60kg in the bench press and 125kg in the deadlift. She lifted a total of 292.5kg, helping her win the gold medal in all four categories.
Her latest win has added another brilliant record to an already overflowing cabinet — remarkable for someone so young. She is a Class XII student from Jalpaiguri and has already made her mark with some solid domestic performances, winning the 2024 National Powerlifting Championship and defending the title in 2025. Earlier this year, she also won the National Bench Press Championship in Faridabad.
Who is Keyaa Banerji?
Keyaa Banerji is an Indian powerlifter who competed in the Junior Women’s 47kg category.
Where does Keyaa Banerji hail from?
Keyaa Banerji hails from Haryana, India, while she is ethnically Bengali.
What have been Keyaa Banerji‘s greatest achievements so far?
Keyaa’s greatest achievements include silver at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior and Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships.
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