The clang of iron plates echoes through a modest gym in Bhadrachalam, Telangana.

Standing beneath a loaded barbell is 73-year-old D V Shankar Rao. His face is calm, his eyes focused. Around him, younger athletes pause to watch. His coach, G V Rami Reddy, stands nearby, carefully observing every movement.

"One more," the coach says.

Shankar Rao takes a deep breath and lifts.

It is a remarkable sight not because of the weight on the bar, but because just over a decade ago, Shakar Rao underwent a coronary artery bypass surgery. Many would have considered slowing down. Instead, he chose to begin again.

Today, he is a National Masters Classic Powerlifting Champion, having won gold medals in squat, bench press, and deadlift, along with the overall championship title.

His journey is your window into how retirement can open the door to an unexpected new chapter, even after a major health setback. 

‘Before powerlifting, I was crunching numbers at a bank’

Born in Andhra Pradesh and later settling in Bhadrachalam, Shankar Rao spent most of his professional life working with the State Bank of India.

His career was defined not by ambition for titles but by a deep attachment to the community he served.

"There were opportunities for promotion much earlier in my career," he recalls. "But promotions often meant transfers. I loved Bhadrachalam and wanted to continue serving people here. It gave me peace of mind."

Eventually, after years of service in roles ranging from accountant and field officer to branch manager and recovery team leader, he retired in 2013.

But just before retirement, life presented an unexpected challenge.

In 2012, at the age of 60, he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery.

The diagnosis came as a shock. Though he maintained a habit of walking and staying active, years of smoking and unhealthy dietary habits had taken a toll on his health.

Yet what followed was not a story of decline but instead a tale of renewal.

‘Surgery gave me a new life’

After the surgery, Shankar Rao felt that life had opened a new door for him.

“I never felt unhappy after the surgery,” he says. “In fact, I felt regenerated. I felt like I had been given a new life.”

Retirement gave him the time to care for that second chance. He spent his mornings and evenings walking, practising yoga and keeping himself active.

For years, that routine felt enough.

Then a friend saw a possibility that Shankar Rao could not yet see for himself.

Swapan Nayak, a forest officer, repeatedly encouraged him to join a........

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