Overcoming deep personal tragedy, Berhampur University's Rinki Nayak turned her pain into strength to secure her first Khelo India University Games (KIUG) medal - a silver in the women's 48kg weightlifting event at the Rajasthan 2025 edition on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old lifted a combined total of 149kg (63kg in Snatch and 86kg in Clean & Jerk), finishing second behind Shivaji University's Kajol Magadev Sargar (158kg) and ahead of Chandigarh University's Rani Nayak (148kg) at the Indoor Hall of Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner.
For Rinki, the medal represented far more than just a sporting milestone. It was the culmination of a four-year struggle marked by heartbreak, resilience, and relentless determination following the loss of her father,
Niladri Nayak, in July 2020.
Returning from training one evening that year, Rinki's life was shattered when she found her father had taken his own life. The emotional blow left her distraught and battling depression, with limited family support to lean on. Yet, it was her father's unwavering belief in her sporting dreams that kept her anchored through the darkest times.
Rinki's journey began in school athletics before her coach encouraged her to take up weightlifting - a decision her father wholeheartedly backed but her mother opposed. "I started in athletics from school, before my teacher asked me to switch to weightlifting. My father supported me in sports but somewhere my mother was worried, and she never approved her daughter to be an athlete," Rinki shared.
Recalling the tragedy, she said, "Gradually things started getting worse at home, and as my dad was working in a private company in Visakhapatnam, I never had direct family support. During lockdown, when he returned, things turned worse, and ultimately it was too much for him to sustain the family pressure. I was training some 3km away from our place during that period, and on July 24, after returning from training, I found that he was no more. "
"For some time, I wasn't able to gather myself, every time the scenes flashed before my eyes, I was troubled mentally, and ultimately was down with depression. It was difficult to return to normal, but my friends and coaches stood beside me throughout that phase," she added.
Despite her mother's disapproval and even cutting off communication, Rinki refused to give up. She channelled her pain into training, supported by a small circle of mentors and friends. Her comeback gained momentum this year with a gold medal performance at the ASMITA Women's Weightlifting League - part of Khelo India's initiative to empower women athletes.
Now training at the Biju Patnaik Weightlifting Hall in Bhubaneswar, Rinki credits the Odisha government's assistance for stabilizing her career. "It hasn't been an easy journey for me, but I want to thank the government for the support over the years," she said after her KIUG performance.
"This was my first Khelo India University Games, and winning the silver medal was special here. The focus was obviously on the gold medal, but the silver medal means I will have to get back and work more on my shortcomings," an emotional Rinki told SAI Media.
For Rinki Nayak, each lift at Bikaner was more than a test of strength-it was an act of healing, a tribute to her father, and a testament to her unbreakable spirit.
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