Keyaa Kunal Banerji’s huge achievement at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior and Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa, was to be a moment of celebration for the Indian powerlifter. But it’s more than that she has revealed that the sudden attention after her silver medal win has come with a wave of online abuse.
Keyaa was also a sensation in the international championship for a record 140 kg deadlift. That lift was almost as heavy as her body weight which helped her win a silver medal for India. The young athlete got noticed from the media instantly.
But the attention soon took a disturbing turn, Keyaa said. In a strong Instagram post, the athlete said she had been subjected to online sexual harassment, impersonation and invasive discussions about her ethnicity, ancestry and caste. Thousands of AI-generated images of fake versions of her face and body have been shared without her consent, she said.
For Keyaa, the move from a relatively private athlete to a very public figure has been difficult to absorb. She said she had always kept a low profile on social media and rarely posted pictures of herself. So the surge in unwanted attention was in stark contrast to her social media use.
The athlete also revealed that her original Instagram account (which she described as a private account with around 300 followers) was suspended. She created another account and made it public despite having to worry about being exposed online. Going public wasn’t something that she had initially wanted to do, Keyaa said, but she felt that she needed to be at the helm of the story about her sporting accomplishment.
Keyaa's concerns highlight a growing challenge faced by athletes who suddenly find themselves in the public spotlight. Social media can also give athletes the opportunity to celebrate victories and connect with supporters but it can also lead them to impersonation, harassment and misuse of emerging technologies.
The powerlifter was particularly disturbed by AI-generated material that’s been created and circulated without her permission. Public figures and athletes have gotten more worried as artificial intelligence tools are more and more powerful so that they can manipulate photographs and create fake content that looks as though it’s accurate.
Keyaa was clear that her decision to speak publicly was not motivated by a desire to become a social media personality. Powerlifting is only a sport she loves, and she said it challenges her and she loves competition.
As the athlete also explained, she originally wanted to share her World Championship victory with only her close friends and family. The scale of the online reaction forced her to reconsider how she wanted to present herself publicly.
Keyaa admitted that maintaining a public social media account still makes her uncomfortable. Yet she said having a platform of her own allows her to correct misinformation, find her true account, and tell her story in front of her people.
Her comments have added another dimension to what should have been a celebratory sporting achievement. A silver medal on the international stage and completing a 140 kg deadlift were big for the young Indian athlete. But the online reaction has shown how much recognition can become intrusive if someone is not taking care of their personal privacy.
Keyaa’s experience is another reminder to be responsible when online and to raise awareness of digitally manipulated content. She lives as an example as well as a reminder that the people behind viral images, sporting achievements and social media posts are real people who may not have agreed to have their images reproduced or altered.
Keyaa still has powerlifting to be a part of, but for her it is about taking back her own story. She is not seeking fame or content creation, she has said, but the real thing.
