Mirabai Chanu Biography
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu is an Indian weightlifter from Manipur who has built one of the most accomplished careers in Indian weightlifting. An Olympic silver medallist, world champion and multiple Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Chanu has competed at the highest level of the sport for more than a decade. Her career reached another important milestone in 2026 when she won her first Asian Games medal, completing a collection of major international honours that had previously eluded her.
Born on August 8, 1994, in Nongpok Kakching village in Manipur, Mirabai Chanu is 32 years old in September 2026. She competes primarily in the women’s 48kg and 49kg categories, depending on the competition’s weight-class structure.
Early Life and Family
Mirabai Chanu was born and raised in Nongpok Kakching, a village in Manipur’s Imphal East district. She grew up in a family without a major sporting background, but her parents supported her interest in athletics and weightlifting.
Her father, Saikhom Kriti Meitei, worked with the Public Works Department, while her mother, Saikhom Tombi Devi, ran a small shop. Chanu’s early years were shaped by a modest family environment in which pursuing sport required commitment from both the athlete and those around her.
She developed an interest in weightlifting while still young. Stories about her early years often highlight her physical strength and determination, but her progression into elite weightlifting came through structured training and competition rather than simply natural ability.
Mirabai Chanu’s Education
Mirabai Chanu completed her schooling in Manipur before focusing increasingly on competitive weightlifting.
Her education continued alongside her sporting career, although detailed information about every stage of her schooling is not consistently documented across authoritative public sources. Her professional identity has ultimately been shaped much more strongly by her international sporting career.
Beginning of Her Weightlifting Career
Chanu began competing internationally as a young weightlifter and represented India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
At those Games, she won a silver medal in the women’s 48kg category. The result provided an early indication of her potential on the international stage.
She later won gold at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim, becoming India’s first world champion in weightlifting since Karnam Malleswari’s World Championship victories in 1994 and 1995. Chanu lifted 194kg in total, combining an 85kg snatch with a 109kg clean and jerk.
That victory established her as one of India’s leading weightlifters.
Mirabai Chanu at the Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games have been an important part of Chanu’s career.
She won silver at Glasgow 2014 before taking gold at the Gold Coast in 2018. She successfully defended her Commonwealth title at Birmingham 2022.
Her 2026 appearance in Glasgow produced another historic result.
Chanu won gold in the women’s 48kg category with a total of 190kg. She lifted 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk. Her 85kg snatch established a Commonwealth Games record. The 105kg clean and jerk was also a Games record.
The victory made Chanu the first woman to win three Commonwealth Games weightlifting gold medals. It was also India’s first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai Chanu and the Olympic Games
Chanu made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games. She was unable to complete a successful total in the women’s 48kg competition.
The setback did not end her Olympic ambitions. She returned to the Games at Tokyo 2020, which was held in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Tokyo, Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg category. She produced a total of 202kg, consisting of an 87kg snatch and a 115kg clean and jerk. The performance made her the second Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari.
The Tokyo silver became one of the defining moments of her career.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Chanu competed in the 49kg category and finished fourth with a total of 199kg.
Mirabai Chanu’s World Championship Career
Chanu’s World Championship record includes gold and silver medals.
Her biggest World Championship achievement came in 2017 when she won gold in the 48kg category in Anaheim.
She subsequently won silver in the 49kg category at the 2022 World Championships in Bogotá with a 200kg total.
After returning to the World Championships in 2025, Chanu won another silver medal in the 48kg category in Førde, Norway. She lifted 199kg in total, comprising an 84kg snatch and a 115kg clean and jerk. It was her first World Championship appearance since 2022 and her third medal in the competition.
Mirabai Chanu’s 2026 Asian Games Achievement
September 2026 brought another significant milestone.
Before 2026, Chanu had won Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth Games medals but had never reached the Asian Games podium.
That changed at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
Competing in the women’s 49kg category on September 23, Chanu won the silver medal after producing a total of 198kg. Her performance consisted of an 87kg snatch and a 111kg clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song-gum won gold, while Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze.
The silver completed a major collection of international medals for Chanu. She now has an Olympic medal, World Championship gold and silver medals, Commonwealth Games gold medals and an Asian Games medal.
Her Asian Games result also ended India’s 28-year wait for a women’s weightlifting medal at the Asian Games since Karnam Malleswari won silver in 1998.
Mirabai Chanu’s Major Medals
Some of the most important medals in Chanu’s career include:
- 2014 Commonwealth Games: Silver
- 2017 World Weightlifting Championships: Gold
- 2018 Commonwealth Games: Gold
- 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Silver
- 2022 Commonwealth Games: Gold
- 2022 World Weightlifting Championships: Silver
- 2025 World Weightlifting Championships: Silver
- 2026 Commonwealth Games: Gold
- 2026 Asian Games: Silver
Her 2026 Commonwealth Games gold was her third consecutive Commonwealth title, while the Asian Games silver was her first medal at the continental Games.
Mirabai Chanu’s Records and Personal Best
Chanu has produced several significant lifts during her career.
Her career-best total is 205kg, achieved in the 49kg category. That total came from an 86kg snatch and a 119kg clean and jerk at the 2021 Asian Weightlifting Championships.
She also recorded a 205kg total in the 48kg category at India’s 2026 National Weightlifting Championships, matching her previous personal best while setting national marks in the snatch and clean and jerk.
At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, she recorded 190kg for the gold medal and set Commonwealth Games records in the snatch and clean and jerk.
Mirabai Chanu’s Awards and Recognition
Chanu has received several major honours for her contribution to Indian sport.
She was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s civilian honours, in 2018. She also received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour at the time, in 2018.
Her achievements have also resulted in national recognition following major Olympic and world-level performances.
Mirabai Chanu’s Personal Life
Mirabai Chanu generally keeps her personal life away from the centre of media attention. Her public profile is primarily associated with weightlifting, training and international competition.
She has remained closely connected to Manipur throughout her career and is widely identified with the state’s sporting community.
Mirabai Chanu’s Current Career in 2026
As of September 2026, Mirabai Chanu remains an active international weightlifter.
Her 2026 season has included a Commonwealth Games gold medal and an Asian Games silver medal. The Asian Games result is particularly significant because it completed a medal collection across the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
Her career has therefore moved beyond individual competition results. Chanu has become one of the most recognizable figures in Indian weightlifting, while her performances continue to attract attention whenever she enters a major international event.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mirabai Chanu
Who is Mirabai Chanu?
Mirabai Chanu is an Indian Olympic medallist and world champion weightlifter from Manipur. She competes mainly in the women’s 48kg and 49kg categories and has won medals at the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
How old is Mirabai Chanu?
Mirabai Chanu was born on August 8, 1994, in Nongpok Kakching, Manipur. She is 32 years old in September 2026.
What medals has Mirabai Chanu won at the Olympics?
Chanu won a silver medal in the women’s 49kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021. She finished fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
How many Commonwealth Games gold medals has Mirabai Chanu won?
Mirabai Chanu has won three consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals. She won at Gold Coast 2018, Birmingham 2022 and Glasgow 2026. Her 2026 victory made her the first woman to win three Commonwealth Games weightlifting gold medals.
Did Mirabai Chanu win an Asian Games medal?
Yes. Chanu won her first Asian Games medal on September 23, 2026, taking silver in the women’s 49kg category in Nagoya, Japan. She lifted 198kg in total, with an 87kg snatch and a 111kg clean and jerk.