The Telangana Weightlifting Association has proudly announced that its President, Sruthi Venepalli, has been elected as an Executive Committee (EC) Member of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF), New Delhi. The election took place during the Federation’s Annual General Assembly held at Crown Plaza Hotel, Ahmedabad.

This year’s elections were held under revised Government of India guidelines, which streamlined the IWF’s Executive Committee from 45 members to just 12. Against this highly competitive backdrop, Sruthi Venepalli’s election as one of the 12 representatives—chosen from the collective strength of 29 states—is seen as a significant achievement not only for Telangana but for Indian weightlifting as a whole.

Sruthi Venepalli brings with her an impressive sporting and academic profile. A decorated athlete, she is an eight-time National Gold Medalist in Athletics, excelling in both the long jump and pentathlon. Her accolades include being named Best Athlete of India (1997) in the under-14 category, setting a National Record in Long Jump (1998), and securing the title of Best Sportswoman of the Year (2003) at the university level. She has also received multiple commendations from Sports Ministers for her medal-winning performances at national events.

Hailing from Kodad and currently based in Hyderabad, Sruthi’s academic achievements are equally inspiring. She completed her schooling at Telangana Sports School, Hakimpet, earned a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Anurag Engineering College, pursued an MBA in HR from Sikkim Manipal University, and later obtained an LLB fromMahatma Gandhi Law College, Hyderabad.

Speaking after her election, Sruthi expressed gratitude and outlined her vision: “It is a great honor to be elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the Indian Weightlifting Federation. I dedicate this achievement to my father Venepalli Srinivasa Rao, coaches, mentors, and the entire sporting fraternity of Telangana who supported me throughout my journey. My focus will be on strengthening grassroots weightlifting, creating more opportunities for young talent, and ensuring India’s presence shines at the global stage.”

Her election coincided with the formal introduction of the IWF’s new office bearers during the Commonwealth Championships, which saw participation from 26 countries.

The Telangana Weightlifting Association congratulated Sruthi on her achievement and expressed confidence that her election will pave the way for a stronger focus on grassroots development, as well as greater representation for Telangana on national and international platforms.