India's First Competitive Female Bodybuilder

I have been visiting India on my official tours (across all my software assignments) for all the corporations that I have worked along with several Asian countries. Having regularly visited India, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, China many-a-times with a few select visits to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, I can share my experience of the best and worst. You are bound to fall in love with India and Japan for their people, places, culture and cuisine! I have been visiting Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and a few times of Delhi/NCR pretty frequently. Moreover, the number of official trips that I've had have been lesser than the vacation that I opted for inside India and escaped to several tourist destination inside India!

What has bemused me always has been the fact that Indian women are outright, 8th wonder of the world. I do not use any exclamation marks at the end of my last statement as this is more of a fact for me than an opinion or a curious discovery. They are entirely different in their workplaces, at their home and when out with their friends and at several tourist places. A woman is supposed to consider her husband as God, and takes this as a joke but loves her man despite all his shortcomings. These women are a conservative bunch at home and while facing relatives, and voracious drinkers when you find them doing their mojo! A salute to these women in a male-dominated and traditionally patriarchal society! Oops, and their traditional dress, sari is a modest-cum-sexy dress that has a fine balance of both the worlds. What has surprised me is that in a country like India where women are relatively free among the younger lot, where the world's second largest population exists, why have no big names in female bodybuilding ever come?!? Or at least in physique, figure or fitness? It's an unsolved mystery. And I forgot to say, these are one of the most beautiful women in the world...

Completely unidentifiable transformation of Ashwini Waskar Image Credit: UK's Mirror

I can go and on about India and their women, but it is time that I stop about this so as not to let you go out of this webpage! You will find a lot more about Indian bodybuilding scene in my further updates as this country has fascinated me and zombed me entirely. For now, I'll stop!

I came across this piece on UK's Mirror and was surprised to read this. I am not sure how true this is, as the first woman bodybuilder that I had heard was Kiran Dembla from Hyderabad. She might not be a competitive bodybuilder as the piece claims but Kiran Dembla has been the first real Indian bodybuilder name for me! I remember many former domestic competitors and a few gym trainers that have reached level of a competitive landscape but they are more in the category of 'toned' for me. (I am speaking of 2010/2011 times). And I'm glad to see that the scenario has changed recently and many new names have sprung up. the culture has ticked in, the momentum has become and we are to witness the power of acceleration and effect of compounding from here!

She quit her job as senior research fellow at Fisheries Instute, is single and hopes to get married in future! Image Credit: UK's Mirror

This piece was about 32-year Ashwini Waskar who has reached the competitive bodybuilding competitions representing India. From what I remember, any last name ending with 'kar' has to be someone from Mumbai or Pune along the western part of India. There is this interesting community living here which puts their last name based on their ancestral village and it is also one of the most open-minded, sophisticated and advanced communities in India.

If you are an Indian male reading this, there is an interesting news for you. This girl is single and yet-to-be-taken or to get married. She would like to have a husband who is open-minded and supports her choice of bodybuilding. Girl power!!! If you are anyone who is interested in seeing more Indian FBBs over time, there is something interesting to know. Not only have the number of FBBs from India increased, Ashwini says that she is confident that female bodybuilding culture has ticked in India and we are to witness a lot of interesting activity in the coming years!

Nevertheless, her transformation pics clearly show the determination that she has in herself. As I mentioned previously, these women are entirely different in different attire and environments where you might not be able to identify them. Would you be able to identify her in the traditional home-attire that she is in?!? And just another FYI, she was indulged in research in a government sponsored fishery institute for a decade before switching her career to bodybuilding! Don't you have praise beyond words? Oops again, I need to stop with my love for India and Asia!

We wish Ashwini all the best with her personal and professional goals and may she inspire more Indian women to get big int he bodybuilding scene. You will find another article detailing her story soon.