Nameirakpam Kunjarani Devi

Kunjarani Devi, born on March 1, 1968, in Imphal, Manipur, is an Indian weightlifter hailed as one of the country's greatest sports icons. Rising to prominence in the 1980s, she dominated the sport, winning multiple medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Kunjarani set numerous national records and became a force in the 48 kg and 46 kg weight categories. Her dedication and prowess earned her the Arjuna Award in 1990. A trailblazer for Indian women in weightlifting, Kunjarani Devi's legacy extends beyond her sporting achievements, inspiring generations to pursue excellence in the field of weightlifting.

Here are some of her career achievements:

• Bagged three Silver in her debut World Women’s Weightlifting Championship, Manchester, 1989
• Since 1985, she has been winning medals, mostly gold, at the National Weightlifting Championships in 44-kg, 46-kg, and 48-kg category.
• Made two national weightlifting  records in Trivandrum in 1987
• Won gold in the 46-kg category in Pune, 1994
• Bagged Silver medal in the 48-kg category in Manipur, 1998
• Won medals in seven successive World Women’s Weightlifting Championships from 1989 to 1997 (with exceptions at Sarajevo, 1990 and Melbourne, 1993)
• Secured bronze twice in the Asian Games (Beijing, 1990 and Hiroshima, 1994)
• In Asian Weightlifting Championships, she bagged 1 silver and 2 bronze (Shanghai, 1989) and won 3 silver in the 44-kg category, held in Indonesia in the year 1991   
• Achieved 2 silver and 1 bronze in 1996 at the World weightlifting championship which was held in Japan
• Recipient of Arjuna award in 1990
• Shared Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award with Leander Paes in 1996-1997
• Awarded with civilian honor of Padma Shri in 2011
• Has a credit of more than 50 international medals
• Won gold in the Commonwealth Games, 2006