At 55, Nidagundi gym trainer who lost 40 kg to represent India in Bangkok
At an age when many people begin to slow down, Sahebalal Chapparb and is doing just the opposite. At 55, the Nidagundi-based gym trainer spends nearly five hours a day working out. What started as a simple desire to lose weight has turned him into a competitive bodybuilder who has won medals at national-level events.
He recently reached another milestone — representing India at the 58th Asian Bodybuilding Championship in Bangkok, which started on September 22. He is competing in the 80-plus kg category in the 50-60 age group at the championship organised by the Indian Bodybuilding Federation.
Chapparband started his fitness journey at 48 when he weighed 105 kg. “My friends and relatives made fun of me because I was fat. It got me thinking about doing something to lose weight. I joined a gym and changed my eating habits,” he said.
He gave up oily and calorie-rich food, avoided eating at functions, and followed a strict routine. Within seven months, he lost 40 kg.
Losing weight was only the beginning. Watching youngsters at the gym, he decided to take up bodybuilding.“It is completely a different game. Building a competition-level physique requires discipline, determination and commitment,” he said.
At 51, he participated in his first championship. He did not win a medal, but said being on stage with professionals itself was an achievement.
Unlike many professionals, Chapparband is self-trained with limited resources. He relied on online videos and YouTube to learn techniques. His gym in Nidagundi has basic equipment, where he trains three hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.
He has participated in over 40 state-level competitions organised by the Association of Bodybuilders in Karnataka, securing first place four times. He won bronze at the 16th National Bodybuilding Championship in Karimnagar, Telangana, and bronze in the Masters category at the 13th Mr India Competition in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, in 2023.
He has two sons — one works in Bengaluru, the other runs a small business in Nidagundi. His friends, who once made fun of him, now tell his sons that their father looks younger than them.
