Sonbhadra’s Rambabu has an exceptional tale of victory to share. Despite coming from a humble background, he trained himself as a professional runner and secured the bronze medal alongside Manju Rani in the mixed team event of the 35 km walk at the 2023 Asian Games. Previously, he held the record of completing 35 km walk in just 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 36 seconds.
Sonbhadra: Rambabu, the winner of bronze medal in the mixed team event of the 35 kilometre walk at the 2023 Asian Games held in China, led a life of poverty, and struggles for a major part of his life. To make the ends meet, he sometimes worked as a MNREGA labourer and sometimes served tables as a waiter. He grew up in a one room mud house in a village and dreamed of reaching the skies. His mother was a constant source of inspiration for him who always supported him through all the highs and lows.
Who is Rambabu?
Rambabu is a resident of Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Chhotalal works as an agricultural labourer. Rambabu has six members in his family and running the household on his father’s monthly salary of Rs 3000 is nearly impossible.
Rambabu received his primary education from a local school and then attended Navodaya Vidyalaya for his senior secondary education. Since childhood, he had a keen interest in sports and often looked for opportunities that allowed him to slowly work towards his dream.
Seeking inspiration
More than studies, he was always motivated to take part in sports activities. Academically, he could not perform his best, but in other areas, he was simply an extraordinary student. During the final two years of his school, he watched television in his hostel and learned about the Olympic games.
He watched Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, Gagan Narang make their winning streaks in their respective games. He became so enthusiastic, that he would read the newspapers and cut their articles to keep them with him. This further nurtured his dream of becoming an international player, and he decided to work hard to become an Olympic player.
Practicing running
Rambabu started his training by running on the village footpaths. He desired to receive professional training from academies, but he had no money to support himself. To pursue his dream, he moved to the city of Varanasi and began working as a waiter in a hotel. During the pandemic, the business was shut down and he had to return back to his village. He laboured on the fields and dug earth for making ponds with his father. This way, he was able to support his family financially, but his dreams came to a halt.
Becoming an inspiration
After the lockdown was lifted, Rambabu went to Bhopal, where he received training from former Olympian Basant Bahadur Rana. His coach encouraged him to participate in the National Open Championship in the 35 kilometres walking event. His hard work paid off when he won the gold medal at the event and secured a place in the national camp.
Rambabu set a new national record at the National Games by completing the 35 km walking event in just 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 34 seconds, and earned a gold medal. This national record was previously held by Mohammad Junaid from Haryana. However, Rambabu was determined to set new national records. In the National Walking Championship in Ranchi on February 15, he improved upon his own achievement, completing the 35 km walk in just 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 36 seconds, and set a new record.
Making records
His incredible journey continued when he participated in an international competition in Slovakia on March 25, and covered the same distance of 35 km in a remarkable 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 56 seconds. Ram Babu's determination and consistent improvement have made him a shining star in the world of race walking.
Rambabu secured the bronze medal alongside Manju Rani in the mixed team event of the 35 km walk at the 2023 Asian Games.
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