Quick Info→
Father: Brijlal Thakur
Age: 28 Years
Hometown: Patnaon, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Profession(s) | Weightlifter and Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| [1]Glasgow 2014 Height | in centimeters– 178 cm in meters– 1.78 m in feet & inches– 5’ 10” |
| [2]Glasgow 2014 Weight | in kilograms– 84 kg in pounds– 185 lbs |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Weightlifting | |
| Coach(es) | • Parvesh Chander Sharma • B.S. Medhwan • Vijay Sharma (national coach) |
| Medal(s) |
Gold • 2015: Commonwealth Championships, Pune in 85 kg category Silver Bronze |
| Award(s) | • 2010: Best weightlifter in India in U19 category • 2013: Best Sports Person in Air Force (2012-13) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 14 November 1993 (Sunday) |
| Age (as of 2021) | 28 Years |
| Birthplace | Patnaon Village, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Patnaon Village, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh |
| School | N M Jain Model Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, Punjab |
| College/University | News Network, Ludhiana, Punjab [3]Facebook- Vikas Thakur |
| Caste | Rajput [4]Instagram- Vikas Thakur |
| Tattoo | On his right chest: His parents’ picture |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | According to his Instagram account, he is in a relationship. [5]Instagram- Vikas Thakur |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | N/A |
| Parents |
Father– Brijlal Thakur (TS in Indian Railways)
Mother– Asha Thakur |
| Siblings | Sister– Abhilasha Thakur (advocate) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Vikas Thakur
- Vikas Thakur is an Indian weightlifter and junior warrant officer at the Indian Airforce. He has won medals in three Commonwealth Games i.e. Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, Scotland (silver; 2014), Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast (bronze; 2018), and Commonwealth Games Birmingham, England (silver; 2022). He is 9 times national medalist in weightlifting with 8 gold medals and one silver medal.
- He was born in Himachal Pradesh and brought up in Ludhiana. [6]Amar Ujala
- Since his childhood, he was interested in sports. At the age of 9, he started his training in weightlifting at his home. He used to lift iron bars at his home along with his father, who was a volleyball player. In an interview, while talking about it, he said,
I would finish my homework early and to ensure that I don’t get into bad company, my parents put me to sports. tried athletics, boxing and finally weightlifting at the Ludhiana Club under CWG 1990 medallist Parvesh Chander Sharma.”
A childhood picture of Vikas Thakur in a weightlifting competition
- His father then decided to start Vikas’s professional training in weighting. Vikas was enrolled at the Ludhiana Weightlifting Center, Punjab and started his training under the Indian weightlifter Parvesh Chander Sharma. Later, he did his training at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports: Patiala, Punjab and Weight Lifting Gym in Rakh Bagh, Ludhiana. He went on to continue his training at Ludhiana Weightlifting Club, Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana, Punjab. During an interview, he shared that in various weightlifting clubs in India, proper facilities were not available for the athletes. He said,
We wanted more facilities for Indian athletes to match those offered to foreign athletes. Indian coaches are talented and they can produce many more champions, but we lag behind due to poor facilities. There is a need for more sports training equipment and other facilities to win medals at international competitions.”
- Vikas has participated in various national and international weightlifting tournaments such as:
Vikas Thakur at the Commonwealth Games 2018
- In 2018, he was appointed as the junior warrant officer by the Indian Airforce.
Vikas Thakur at Indian Air Force Headquarters, New Delhi
- He has received various felicitations at the state and national levels.
Vikas Thakur on being felicitated by Prem Kumar Dhumal
- In 2018, he was tested for the dope test, and he came negative for the test. In an interview, while talking about the test, the then general team manager Namdev Shirgaonker said,
The officials of the medical commission took three athletes, one more athlete, Vikas Thakur was called. We took them to the medical commission. Thakur’s bag was searched. He underwent a dope test. He answered all the medical commission questions, nothing was found in the bag and his dope test was clear. He was on his way home but unfortunately we were told that he should be brought to the medical commission. After that he was cleared and he went. Thakur does not have any doping history.” - During an interview, while talking about the facilities provided to Vikas by the Indian government, he said,
The government allots funds for players, however it does not reach them. It should identify the source of corruption. The government does not ask, and players do not raise their voice against it. Even if they raise their voice, nobody listens to them. I belong to a middle-class family, and my family supported me in all ways to make me reach this level. However, not all are fortunate enough to have the motivational and financial support of their families, which is why talent remains buried in Punjab.”
He added,
My nomination for the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award was filed in 2015, however I have not received it until now. Though cash prizes or rewards are not more important than the pride of the nation, however they do help in motivating sportspersons and encouraging them to work harder. Now, I have no expectations from the state government for any welcome, prize, or honour. I start my practice from tomorrow, and will focus on the upcoming Asian Games and World Championships.”
- He is often spotted drinking alcohol at parties and events.
Vikas Thakur in a restaurant
References/Sources:[+]
| ↑1, ↑2 | Glasgow 2014 |
|---|---|
| ↑3 | Facebook- Vikas Thakur |
| ↑4 | Instagram- Vikas Thakur |
| ↑5 | Instagram- Vikas Thakur |
| ↑6 | Amar Ujala |