Lifting Aspirations: ASMITA Weightlifting League 2025 Opens With Mirabai Chanu as Beacon of Inspiration

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the 2025 season of the ASMITA Weightlifting League in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, spotlighting Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu as the ideal role model for aspiring athletes. The two-day event marks the beginning of a nationwide initiative to empower women in sports through structured competition.

Key Highlights From the Inaugural Event

- Forty-two girls competed across eight weight categories in the Open division at the Weightlifting Warriors Academy  
- Mirabai Chanu, Tokyo Olympics silver medallist, attended the launch alongside Minister of State for Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse  
- Mandaviya praised Chanu’s journey from rural Manipur to Olympic glory, calling her a benchmark for women weightlifters  
- The Minister reaffirmed the government’s 360-degree commitment to sports, citing a fourfold increase in the sports budget over the past decade  
- ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women) is part of the Khelo Bharat Niti and aligned with the National Education Policy  

Nationwide Impact and Vision

- For FY 2025–26, 852 ASMITA leagues are planned across 15 disciplines, targeting participation from over 70,000 female athletes  
- Last year, 550 leagues across 27 sports saw 53,101 women athletes compete  
- The league’s tiered structure offers a clear pathway for progression, from grassroots to elite levels  

Outlook

With ASMITA’s growing footprint and Mirabai Chanu’s presence igniting ambition, the league is poised to become a cornerstone of India’s women-centric sports development.

Sources: The Tribune, The Hans India, Outlook India, Sportstar, Daily Excelsior, ANI, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports