IRS Officer Ekta Vishnoi Wins 3 Gold Medals at World Masters Powerlifting Championships in US
At an age when many professionals begin winding down their physical routines, senior bureaucrat Ekta Vishnoi has shattered international sporting expectations. The 52-year-old Indian Revenue Service officer and current Joint Secretary in the Department of Biotechnology delivered a sensational performance at the World Masters Classic and Equipped Powerlifting Championships in Reno, Nevada.
Competing in the Masters 2 category for athletes aged 50 to 59 in the 57 kg weight class, Vishnoi dominated the field by clinching three gold medals with a combined lift of 362.5 kg.
Her impressive total placed her comfortably ahead of top international lifters, beating out Canada’s silver medalist who recorded a 330 kg total and Japan’s bronze winner who finished with 325 kg. Across the competition disciplines, Vishnoi recorded a 130 kg squat, a 72.5 kg bench press, and a 160 kg deadlift, securing overall gold along with top honors in individual lifts.
What makes her victory even more inspiring is that she only stepped into a gym for the first time at age 45, originally intending just to stay active while managing her family life and high-level government career.
Her path to powerlifting glory is anything but conventional. Instead of training in high-end commercial gyms, Vishnoi built her elite strength in a modest exercise area covered by a tin shed inside a neighborhood park. She routinely trains early in the morning before heading out to perform her executive duties as Joint Secretary.
To overcome extreme weather conditions, she uses tarpaulins during winter freezes and pours water over her head during scorching summer months, maintaining an unwavering discipline that has defined both her civil service and athletic careers.
Even immediate logistical hurdles couldn’t derail her performance on the global stage. Shortly before traveling to the United States, her long-time coach, Sunil Kumar, faced visa difficulties and was unable to accompany her. Supported on-site by team official Binu Ibrahim, Vishnoi stayed in constant contact with her coach through remote video calls, adjusting her attempt weights and technical strategies live during the competition to secure her place on top of the podium.
Academic excellence and administrative prowess have long been hallmarks of Vishnoi’s career. A gold medalist in Organic Chemistry from the University of Delhi who also holds a law degree, she entered the IRS in 1999 and received the Finance Minister’s Gold Medal during her induction training.
Prior to her current posting in the Department of Biotechnology, she served as Deputy Director General at the Sports Authority of India and worked as the Mission Director for the Fit India Movement, promoting healthy lifestyles across the nation long before winning her own international accolades.
This win in Nevada adds another stellar chapter to Vishnoi’s athletic resume, which already includes a silver medal at the 2025 IPF World Masters Championships alongside multiple Commonwealth and Asian championship titles.
By consistently balancing the intense pressure of central ministry leadership with world-class strength athletics, she stands out as a powerful example of lifelong fitness and determination. As she returns to New Delhi with three new gold medals, her journey continues to challenge traditional notions about age and athletic peak.
