Meet the 70-year-old ‘weightlifter mummy’, who fought arthritis with deadlifts and determination

Weightlifting is no joke—even the fittest must practice with discipline daily to keep up their game. Enter Roshni Sangwan, a 70-year-old woman from Bhiwani, Haryana, who can give these young athletes a run for their money. 

The septuagenarian, known as @weightliftermummy on Instagram, started her fitness journey after she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The journey, slow yet steady, has surprised the doctors, their doubts turning into admiration.

In 2011, Roshni moved to Delhi to live with her son, Ajay Sangwan, after her husband passed away. A decade later, old age finally caught up with Roshni, and she started feeling pain in her left knee.

Climbing stairs and walking became difficult. But after a fateful slipping accident in the bathroom, Roshni was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her left knee. Her right knee was also damaged. 

Ajay, who has a fitness certification, recalls, “I was very shocked because we believed arthritis meant bed rest.” In the following months, Roshni continued with physiotherapy, but Ajay felt the gym could help her more. 

“We’ve heard a lot about gym injuries,” he says, adding it took him a few months to convince her to work out.

Starting gym at 68

A year after her diagnosis in June 2023, the 68-year-old Roshni stepped into a gym for the first time. She picked the afternoons to work out—slow and sparse—which helped her feel comfortable.

The focus was never on getting abs or building big muscles; It was about increasing strength and making the body more flexible. Roshi started with simple stretching and movement exercises, slowly got used to them, and enjoyed the workouts.

However, arthritis was not the only thing the 70-year-old suffered from. She also dealt with a 20-year-old hand injury—a weakened right index finger from a botched operation and a muscle tear in her right shoulder. 

Ajay recalls, “Doctors said she wouldn’t be able to pick up a comb.” Today, that has changed. Regular training has strengthened Roshni’s arm, and she no longer requires surgery. Daily activities are no longer a struggle for her.

Today, Roshni lifts 97 kgs on a trap bar deadlift, performs 80 kgs conventional deadlifts, squats 50 kgs, leg presses 120 kgs, and can hold a plank for four minutes. Every day, she does 1.5–2 hours of strength training and cardio each. 

Trolls, judgments, and triumph

With 53.6K followers on Instagram, Roshni or the “weightlifter mummy”, is an inspiration to many on social media. “It feels nice that now there is a conversation happening around exercise and gym for senior citizens,” Roshni says. 

However, sharing their journey online has attracted mixed reactions from netizens. “People judged and often said negative things,” Ajay says, adding that some even accused him of forcing his mother into workouts. “She works out according to her will and capability. She smiles after every exercise,” he asserts.

Ajay, who quit his corporate marketing job to become a full-time trainer, now spends his days training clients and supporting his mother’s journey. One of his biggest challenges was financial difficulties. He says, “The gym and personal training are expensive. Financial challenges were real.”

Looking ahead

Roshni follows a simple vegetarian diet with increased protein intake. She eats home-cooked meals, focusing more on nutrition. “There are no restrictions. I love eating dahi bhalle, and I eat it occasionally. Anything in excess is bad,” she says.

She has been invited to next year’s World Strength Games in the US, which hosts the annual World Championships for Strongman, where the best athletes globally compete to break world records in Strongman events. 

If Roshni chooses to participate, she will be the first from India to do so. At present, she is training for the event. “Earlier, I used to just sit at home. Now, I go out, attend events, and feel active,” she says.

Ajay believes her journey sends an important message: “When senior citizens exercise, it doesn’t just help them. It also sets an example for the younger generation.”