Hyderabad’s Venkatesan eyes gold at INBA World Championship

Hyderabad’s Karuppanan Venkatesan, a 49-year-old vegan bodybuilder, will represent India at the INBA PNBA Pro/Am World Cup in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. A silver medallist last year, Venkatesan aims to promote drug-free, plant-based strength and fitness

Hyderabad: The 49-year-old Karuppanan Venkatesan, the only Indian vegan bodybuilder, will be competing in the INBA PNBA Pro/Am World Cup Bodybuilding Championship for vegan bodybuilders. It will be another serious attempt to scale the summit in what is considered a truly demanding championship.

Venkatesan, who won a silver medal in the previous edition of the same championship, said in a chat with Telangana Today that the competitions, scheduled to start from November 1 in Los Angeles and continue from November 6 to 9 in Las Vegas, underscore the significance of his representing India and the rigorous standards upheld by the International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) and the International Olympic Committee. “The competitions are natural (drug-tested) events,” he added.

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“Essentially, my whole endeavour is not just to win medals at the highest level but also to create awareness about how one can be mentally and physically strong while being a vegan,” Venkatesan said.

“The INBA is dedicated to promoting drug-free bodybuilding and fitness competitions both nationally and internationally,” he added.