Having an enviable physique with wide biceps and a brooding look has always been the signature character trait of testosterone-dripping masculinity. On the contrary, typical femininity is only acknowledged when a slender build is cladded in a gorgeous outfit and demonstrates a demure demeanour. However, with time, stereotypes and preconceived notions about gender began to shatter as people started embracing the uniqueness of every individual instead of categorising them as masculine or feminine. Currently, the existence of any such profession or activity that boasts of being a forte exclusively for a man or a woman is next to zero.
That has only been possible because of the intrepid choices made by both men and women in their respective fields. For example, previously, culinary skills were attributed mainly to women and the notion has been abolished by some world-renowned chefs who are all men. Likewise, the world of bodybuilding which is usually considered to be the lair of men has also been conquered by women. One such conqueror is Kiran Dembla.
Born in the year 1977 in Hyderabad, to a middle-class family with a retired banker and a homemaker as her parents, Kiran used to love singing which made her join the music classes and even complete her master’s degree in the year 1995 from Bhartiya Shastriya Gayan. It was not until Kiran got married and experienced motherhood in the year 1999, that the transition started in her life. Kiran had no inkling of the tough competition she was about to give to her male counterparts especially when she fell ill because of some blood clots in her brain.
Her condition deteriorated to such an extent that she lost her capability of speaking and even her mobility. Being confined to bed, the ailment and countless visits to the neurologist’s clinic snatched a couple of active years from her life making her put on almost 25 kilos of weight. It was the outcome of the medication that she was undergoing and hours of constant sleeping with zero physical activity. Not only did this stagnant and monotonous life frustrate
Kiran emotionally and psychologically but also lowered her self-esteem constantly. That is when she decided to take matters into her own hands and start her life anew.
Her journey started from the first day she resolved to join the gym to lose weight and felt cornered with the population of men outnumbering women in the gym. Not only did she feel out of place but also got terrified initially. Her awkwardness was getting the better of her as she appeared in salwar kameez and preferred to stay invisible behind the fitness equipment. To remain unnoticed by the male members of the gym she never approached any trainer and just copied the other people in the initial days at the gym.
Nevertheless, after a few days, she managed to shed her awkwardness and made some male friends who were indeed very cooperative and inculcated the burning passion for a workout in Kiran. What helped her more was an online course based on an American Muscle and Fitness Personal Trainer which boosted her confidence to such a level that she got hooked on the idea of establishing her gym.
Although Kiran had initially encountered the usual expression of disbelief and are-you-out-of-your-mind attitude from her husband, the feisty lady did not give up on her idea and decided to proceed with the opening of the gym. This was her stepping stone to the world of fame as a female bodybuilder, and Kiran was chasing her dreams at a breakneck speed.
Having established her gym Kiran Dembla was already getting reckoned among the celebrity community, many of whom started training under her guidance in her gym. Among these famous names are the South Indian star Prabhas, SS Rajamouli, and the actress Tapsee Pannu. Kiran Dembla, was still not satisfied with this new innings as she jiggled her life as a homemaker and a trainer at her gym. That is why she marked a new milestone at the age of 40: getting a six-pack.
The idea was initially ridiculous to many people around her, many of whom did not even think once before trolling her on social media and labelling her as a steroid addict who is obsessed with becoming masculine. These achievements were about to take her to the seventh heaven of joy and satisfaction when she got an invitation seven months later after getting that six-pack. This invitation was from none other than the Indian Bodybuilding
Federation to become a participant in a World Bodybuilding Championship which was being held in Budapest. Disregarding the opposition from her husband concerning wearing a bikini for the competition, Kiran Dembla started rigorous training with a protein-based diet for the next 4 months. Her efforts paid off when she participated in the championship representing India, creating history by accomplishing the journey from being a homemaker to a bodybuilding champion. She held the 6th position in the competition and grabbed the title of having the most beautiful body among all the other participants.
Kiran Dembla had started as a homemaker who was satisfied with her role limited to taking care of her family members with no passion or goals to pursue. However, the ailment that had restrained her to the bed was why she turned her life 360 degrees and went on to fight some unnerving challenges and flag down success in all her endeavours.
