Vikas Thakur is an Indian weightlifter and a junior warrant officer in the Indian Air Force. He is a three-time Commonwealth Games champion. He won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland (2014), a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games (2018), and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England (2022). Vikas is also known for winning nine national medals, including eight gold medals and one silver medal.
Wiki/Biography
Vikas Thakur was born on Sunday, November 14, 1993, in Patnao village, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh (age 29; as of 2022). He grew up in Ludhiana. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. He attended NM Jain Model High School, Ludhiana, Punjab. Later, he joined Ludhiana News Network, Punjab. Since his father was a volleyball player, his father often lifted iron bars and dumbbells to stay fit. As a child, Vikas would often observe his father during workouts. At the age of 9, Vikas started lifting iron bars after observing his father. My father is a volleyball player and works out regularly to stay fit. In an interview, recalling his childhood, he said:
I would finish my homework early, and to make sure I didn’t make bad friends, my parents put me in sports. He tried athletics, boxing and finally weightlifting at the Ludhiana club under 1990 CWG medalist Parvesh Chander Sharma. “
His father discovered that Vikas was interested in weightlifting and invited Vikas to join the Ludhiana Weightlifting Center in Punjab for professional training.
Photos of Vikas Thakur during a weightlifting competition as a child
While studying in school, Vikas started weightlifting training at the Ludhiana Weightlifting Center in Punjab, under the tutelage of Indian weightlifter Parvesh Chander Sharma. He then continued training at various weightlifting centers such as Netaji Subhash National Sports Academy: Patiala, Lakhbagh Weightlifting Stadium, Ludhiana and Guru Nanak Stadium, Punjab, Ludhiana Weightlifting club.
appearance
Height: 5′10″
Weight: 84kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Vikas was born into a Rajput family.
Parents and siblings
His father Brijlal Thakur works as a technician in the Indian Railways. His mother’s name is Asha Thakur. He has a sister named Abhilasha Thakur who is an advocate.
Vikas Thakur and his father
Vikas Thakur and his mother
Vikas Thakur and his sister
Relationships/Affairs
In 2022, he got engaged to his girlfriend Dr. Preity Choudhary.
Vikas Thakur and his fiancée
Profession
He has participated in many weightlifting competitions at the national and international levels. Some of these tournaments are:
- September 5, 2011: Asian Junior Championships
- 10 October 2011: Commonwealth Junior Championships
- 4 June 2012: Commonwealth Junior Championships
- May 3, 2013: IWF Junior World Championships
- July 1, 2013: Asian Junior Championships
- 24 November 2013: Commonwealth Championships
- 23 July 2014: Commonwealth Games
- September 19, 2014: Asian Games
- November 4, 2014: IWF World Championship
- September 6, 2015: Asian Championships
- 11 October 2015: Commonwealth Championships
- April 22, 2016: Asian Championships
- 3 September 2017: Commonwealth Championships
- November 27, 2017: IWF World Championship
- 4 April 2018: XXI Commonwealth Games
- August 20, 2018: The 18th Asian Games
- January 7, 2019: EGAT Cup International Weightlifting Championships
- April 18, 2019: Asian Championships
- 9 July 2019: Commonwealth Senior Championships
- December 7, 2021: IWF World Championship
- 7 August 2022: Commonwealth Games
Vikas Thakur during one of his matches
He is trained by weightlifting coaches BS Medhwan and Vijay Sharma.
Vikas Thakur and his coach Vijay Sharma
In 2018, Vikas was appointed as a Junior Warrant Officer by the Indian Air Force.
Vikas Thakur at Indian Air Force Headquarters, New Delhi
medal
gold
- 2015: Commonwealth Championships, Pune, 85kg
silver
- 2013: Commonwealth Championships, Penang, 85kg
- 2014: Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, 85kg
Vikas Thakur wins silver medal at Commonwealth Games 2014
- 2019: Commonwealth Championships, Samoa, 96kg
- 2022: Commonwealth Games, Birmingham, 96kg
Vikas Thakur wins medal at Commonwealth Games 2022
bronze
- 2017: Commonwealth Championships, Gold Coast, 94kg
- 2018: Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, 94kg
Vikas Thakur wins bronze medal at Commonwealth Games 2018
- 2021: Commonwealth Championships, Tashkent, 96kg
Awards
- 2010: Best weightlifter in India U19 category
- 2013: Air Force Athlete of the Year (2012-13)
- 2022: Arjuna Award
Vikas Thakur receives Arjuna Award 2022 from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Facts/Trivia
- In an interview, Vikas spoke about the facilities provided to Indian athletes at various training centres. He said,
We want to provide more facilities to Indian athletes on par with those provided to foreign athletes. Indian coaches are talented and they can produce more champions but we are lagging behind due to poor facilities. To win medals in international competitions, more sports training equipment and other facilities are needed. “
- Vikas has pictures of his parents tattooed on his right breast.
Vikas Thakur’s tattoos
- He has been recognized for his achievements at numerous state and national level weightlifting events.
Vikas Thakur is felicitated by Prem Kumar Dhumal
- In 2018, several Indian athletes, including Vikas, underwent doping tests, and his doping test report came back negative. In an interview, the then general manager of the team, Namdev Shirgaonkar, spoke about Vikas’ doping test. He said,
Medical board officials took away three athletes and another athlete, Vikas Thakur, was called. We took them to the medical board. Thakur’s bag was searched. He underwent a doping test. He answered all questions from the medical board, nothing was found in the bag, and his drug test results were clear. He was on his way home but unfortunately we were told he should be taken to the medical board. Then he was cleared and he was gone. Thakur does not have any history of doping. “
- In an interview, when reporters asked Vikas about the facilities he received from the Indian government, he said:
The government allocates money to players, but it doesn’t reach them. It should identify the root causes of corruption. The government didn’t ask, and players didn’t raise their voices in opposition. Even if they raise their voices, no one listens to them. I belong to a middle-class family and my family supported me in every way to get me to this level. However, not all of them are lucky enough to have the motivation and financial support of their families, which is why the talent remains buried in Punjab. “
He continued,
I submitted my nomination for the Ranjit Singh Maharaja Award in 2015 but I did not receive it until now. While cash prizes or awards are not more important than national pride, they do help motivate athletes and encourage them to work harder. Now, I don’t expect any welcome, reward or kudos from the state government. I start training tomorrow, focusing on the upcoming Asian Games and World Championships. “
- Vikas Thakur drinks alcohol occasionally.
Vikas Thakur at restaurant
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education