At 73, This Heart Bypass Survivor Won 4 Gold Medals At The National Powerlifting Championship

The clang of iron plates echoes through a modest gym in Bhadrachalam, Telangana.

Standing beneath a loaded barbell is 73-year-old D V Shankar Rao. His face is calm, his eyes focused. Around him, younger athletes pause to watch. His coach, G V Rami Reddy, stands nearby, carefully observing every movement.

“One more,” the coach says.

Shankar Rao takes a deep breath and lifts.

It is a remarkable sight not because of the weight on the bar, but because just over a decade ago, Shakar Rao underwent a coronary artery bypass surgery. Many would have considered slowing down. Instead, he chose to begin again.

Today, he is a National Masters Classic Powerlifting Champion, having won gold medals in squat, bench press, and deadlift, along with the overall championship title.

His journey is your window into how retirement can open the door to an unexpected new chapter, even after a major health setback. 

‘Before powerlifting, I was crunching numbers at a bank’

Born in Andhra Pradesh and later settling in Bhadrachalam, Shankar Rao spent most of his professional life working with the State Bank of India.

His career was defined not by ambition for titles but by a deep attachment to the community he served.

“There were opportunities for promotion much earlier in my career,” he recalls. “But promotions often meant transfers. I loved Bhadrachalam and wanted to continue serving people here. It gave me peace of mind.”

Eventually, after years of service in roles ranging from accountant and field officer to branch manager and recovery team leader, he retired in 2013.

But just before retirement, life presented an unexpected challenge.

In 2012, at the age of 60, he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery.

The diagnosis came as a shock. Though he maintained a habit of walking and staying active, years of smoking and unhealthy dietary habits had taken a toll on his health.

Yet what followed was not a story of decline but instead a tale of renewal.

‘Surgery gave me a new life’

After the surgery, Shankar Rao felt that life had opened a new door for him.

“I never felt unhappy after the surgery,” he says. “In fact, I felt regenerated. I felt like I had been given a new life.”

Retirement gave him the time to care for that second chance. He spent his mornings and evenings walking, practising yoga and keeping himself active.

For years, that routine felt enough.

Then a friend saw a possibility that Shankar Rao could not yet see for himself.

Swapan Nayak, a forest officer, repeatedly encouraged him to join a gym.

“I refused every time,” Shankar Rao laughs. “I would tell him, ‘I have had bypass surgery. Why should I go to a gym?’”

But Nayak kept asking.

Finally, in February 2025, Shankar Rao stepped into a local fitness centre in Bhadrachalam. That one visit would reshape the years ahead.

A coach, 3 doctors and a carefully planned start 

At the gym, Shankar Rao met coach G V Rami Reddy, a fitness professional who has spent over two decades training athletes, senior citizens, and people recovering from health challenges.

When Shankar Rao shared his medical history, Reddy took his concerns seriously and proceeded with care.

“We consulted doctors and monitored everything closely,” says Reddy. “I had worked with senior citizens before and knew that with proper guidance, he could train safely.”

Three doctors associated with the gym also supported the idea.

One piece of advice stayed with Shankar Rao.

“They told me that the heart is also a muscle,” he says. “If the body’s muscles become stronger through proper exercise, the heart benefits too.”

The training began slowly, with stretches, mobility exercises, light movements, and gradual strength-building sessions, with every step monitored.

What surprised everyone was how quickly he adapted to the training.

“My coach noticed that whatever exercise he gave me, I would complete it faster than expected,” says Shankar Rao. “He saw dedication in me and kept encouraging me.”

Reddy recalls the same thing.

“Within the first month, I could see his sincerity and commitment. He followed every instruction. His enthusiasm was extraordinary.”

 ‘There was new energy in me’

His family was worried, and friends questioned his decision. Many felt weight training was risky for someone who had undergone bypass surgery.

Recognising their concerns, Reddy personally visited his home and spoke to his family, explaining the precautions being taken and the positive changes already visible.

As the weeks passed, his family’s confidence grew. Shankar Rao also began feeling stronger, physically and mentally.

“There was a new energy in me, and I felt rejuvenated,” he says.

A national title within 6 months of gym

Initially, Shankar Rao had no interest in competing, he joined the gym simply to improve his health.

But Coach Reddy had other plans. One day, he persuaded him to attend a local powerlifting competition.

“I told him I wasn’t interested in competition,” Shankar Rao says. “He asked me to come just once and watch.”

Shankar Rao went to watch, entered the competition and won. 

That first victory sparked something unexpected. Soon came a state-level championship and then, within months, a national event.

The timeline was remarkable: he joined the gym in February 2025, and by August, he was competing at the national level.

With the National Masters Classic Powerlifting Championship in Kozhikode, Kerala, approaching, his training entered a more intensive phase. Reddy increased the pace while keeping medical supervision at the centre of every session.

Dr Sivaramakrishna Prasad also worked closely with Shankar Rao throughout the lead-up to the competition. Morning sessions lasted up to one-and-a-half hours. Evening sessions added another hour. Every workout was carefully structured around recovery and safety.

“When I felt tired, my coach would motivate me,” says Shankar Rao. “He created an environment where I always wanted to keep going.”

That effort paid off. At the championship, he won gold medals in squat, bench press, and deadlift, along with the overall title.

For a man who had never imagined becoming an athlete, it was a surreal moment.

“I never thought I would become a national champion,” he says. “It feels like a miracle. A medical miracle.”

‘Family is happier than me’

Looking back, Shankar Rao finds it remarkable how quickly life changed. “For more than three decades, I worked in the banking sector,” he says. “I held many responsibilities, but I never received this kind of recognition.”

Now, local media regularly seeks him out for interviews. His achievements have inspired countless people across Bhadrachalam and beyond.

His family, once worried about his decision, is now his biggest supporter. “They are happier than I am,” he says with a smile.

His story has become especially meaningful for senior citizens and people recovering from health challenges. For Shankar Rao, the experience shows what carefully supervised physical activity can make possible at any age.

The lesson he most wants to share is simple.

“Age is not a criterion,” he says firmly. “If I had done this in my younger years, I would have had different responsibilities. Today, I have the time and opportunity. Age should never stop anyone from trying.”

The coach behind the champion

Coach G V Rami Reddy believes Shankar Rao’s success comes down to one quality above all else: discipline.

“Many people join a gym,” he says. “Very few show the consistency and dedication that he showed from the beginning.”

According to Reddy, Shankar Rao’s transformation has inspired many others to take their health seriously.

His success has become a powerful example within the gym community, particularly for older adults who often assume strength training is beyond their reach.

“When he won four gold medals, I felt incredibly proud,” says Reddy. “A bypass surgery survivor becoming a national powerlifting champion at this age is something truly special.”

His next goal is to compete for India

A year ago, Shankar Rao had never imagined himself on a national powerlifting platform.

Today, four gold medals later, he is preparing for a far bigger dream: competing for India.

He has received invitations to take part in higher-level competitions, including an international powerlifting meet. But before he can step onto that platform, he must overcome one final hurdle: the cost of getting there.

As a retired banker, Shankar Rao cannot cover the expenses of travel, registration, equipment and accommodation on his own.

“I am confident that if I get the opportunity, I can win a medal for the country,” he says. “If that happens, I could become one of the first powerlifters in the world to achieve this after bypass surgery.”

For Shankar Rao, this opportunity carries the weight of every morning he spent training, every fear his family slowly overcame and every lift that once seemed beyond reach.

He has already proved that a major surgery and retirement did not have to mark the end of his ambitions.

Now, he wants the chance to lift for India.

Help him reach the international stage

Shankar Rao is preparing for the National Championship in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, from 18 to 23 July 2026, followed by the International Powerlifting Meet in Reno, Nevada, USA, from 14 to 25 October 2026.

He needs approximately Rs 5 lakh to cover travel, registration, equipment, accommodation and other competition-related expenses.

Every contribution can help move him closer to the platform he has spent months preparing for.

It could help pay for a flight, cover his registration or ensure he has the equipment he needs when he represents India.

If you want to support his journey, you can contribute directly:

Account Holder: Desaraju Venkata Sankara Rao
Bank: State Bank of India
Account Number: 11566021583
IFSC: SBIN0006113
UPI ID: 7013366504

At 73, Shankar Rao has already lifted his way from heart surgery to the top of a national podium.

He has done the training, faced the fear and earned his place. One final distance remains between him and the chance to lift for India, and a contribution from you could help him cross it.

All images courtesy DV Shankar Rao