Seasoned skydiver
Majiziya Bhanu created history recently when she became the first woman from her state to win the Mr Kerala bodybuilding competition while sporting a hijab. Wearing a burkini and a proud smile, the 23- year- old simply stunned everyone as she stepped onto the stage. While she initially wanted to pursue a career in boxing, she soon shifted to powerlifting as she had braces at the time. And that changed her life! Majiziya was declared ‘ Strong Woman of Kerala’ thrice by the Kerala Powerlifting Association. She also won the silver medal at the Asian Powerlifting Championship in 2017. She was later inspired by Egyptian women bodybuilders and trained and enrolled herself for the bodybuilding competition. The high- spirited woman shares, “Right from school, I was into athletics and was fascinated by boxing and weightlifting. I live in a village where not even men train in powerlifting. Once I finished school, they gave me the freedom to pursue anything I liked as long as I found the time to study. So, I got in touch with my brother’s swimming instructor and asked him if there was anything interesting like boxing or weightlifting under the sports council anywhere in Kozhikode. From there, I was introduced to a boxing instructor, who recognised my capacity to get involved in something challenging and suggested that I try powerlifting.” Majiziya has proved yet again that anything is possible if you work hard towards it.
The Pune- based adventurist and Padma Shri recipient set a new record by becoming the first Indian to skydive from a height of 13,000 feet wearing a nauvari or the traditional nine- yard sari. She shares, “I wanted to do something for the Marathi community, so I felt a skydiving act done wearing a nauvari sari would be unique. I wanted to prove to the world that Indian women are capable of anything if they are given an opportunity.”
She adds, “Being a mother of two, I want to inspire women. I have skydived in all the seven continents and have made 17 national and six world records. The world is progressing and women are transforming lives by playing vital roles in every sphere of life, and women empowerment is the current hymn.”