An international-level powerlifter, Mala Sukhwal, has represented India on several occasions in international tournaments. She is currently placed at the Indian Railways in Udaipur as a deputy chief ticket inspector.

Mala Sukhwal is the deputy chief ticket inspector at Udaipur railway station and also a very renowned national-level powerlifter. She got her job in the sports quota of the Indian Railways because she represented India in powerlifting on an international level.

Talking about her achievements, Mala represented the nation in the Asian Powerlifting Championships held in Taiwan in 2007 and won four silver medals. In the same year, she went on to win four gold medals in the 2007 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships held in New Zealand, making her country proud.

Mala decided to pursue a career in science, opting for a B.Sc. She wanted to become a doctor but got stuck on the RPMT waiting list and had very little financial aid to be able to try again. At the same time, Mala was very passionate about swimming but lacked the stamina, as informed by her coach. Thereafter, she decided to join a gym to increase her stamina. It was then that she saw a bright future for herself in powerlifting. Mala joined an academy to train in powerlifting and started competing in national and international-level tournaments.

When asked about her role models, Mala says her mother has been her inspiration as she has always supported her interests, be it swimming or powerlifting, often considered a male-dominated sport.

Mala faced a lot of struggles growing up. She used to live in a rented house where, if a guest came, they had to first clear all the space before opening the door because there was not much space. She was not very financially strong and had to stand in long lines to get free books. She even requested that the authorities provide her with extra aid. Despite all the hardships she faced, Mala rose above all to come out strong, both as a woman and as an individual.

The main mantra of her success has been her passion for sports. She says powerlifting is a very injury-prone sport, but she was always very determined to succeed, and she kept pushing herself.

If she could go back in time, Mala would want to become a doctor. She says she has heard people say that doctors should have such an attribute that half of the sickness of a patient fades away just by talking to them. She wants to become a doctor of such calibre that she can connect with her patients and heal them both inside and out.

Drawing a comparison between the two, Mala says education is as important as experience. She says that without the practical implementation of knowledge, there’s no use of it. She herself felt the need for a BA.LL.B. at some point in her life, and she studied the law even after doing a B.Sc. and an M.Com. already. She says the easiest way to imply studies in the practical world is through the management of a family. If you can manage your family, you’re successful in life. Mala believes that nowadays, as time is changing, we should include education practically in our lives.

Talking about her childhood, Mala says she remembers how once she gave her name for a Sanskrit Shloka competition in an all-boys school and forgot to tell her mom about it. Her mom got angry and didn’t talk to her when she was leaving for the competition. She went on to say that she was out of the shloka competition and was put into a debate competition with another girl. She was unprepared, but she managed to win the competition and make her mom proud. She later realized her mistake and apologized.

For the youngsters, Mala says it is important to have good core strength and dire determination to be able to succeed in powerlifting. She says this sport is very difficult and requires a good muscle-mind connection. "If you don’t concentrate and you’re not ready to do it, you cannot do it", says Mala.

In her free time, Mala loves to recite bhajans with her mother. She also likes to play little games with her kids so that they can learn new things. She has also started organic farming on a leftover piece of land at her house and loves to take care of the plantations.