Bhubaneswar: From the dusty fields of Lakhuwas village in Gurugram to the grand stage of the London 2012 Olympics, OP Singh Karhana’s journey is one of grit and unshakable spirit. Born into a family where the love for sports ran deep—his father a wrestler in the Army, his grandfather a kabaddi player—OP’s earliest lessons weren’t learned in stadiums, but in the sun-baked soil of his village. He chased strength not in gyms, but by climbing trees, toiling in the fields, and wrestling in the akharas of rural Haryana.
The very hands that once sowed crops would one day launch a shot put across international arenas.
Now, as a proud member of the Indian Olympic Association’s Athletes Commission, OP Singh Karhana uses his voice to champion the welfare of athletes across the nation. But his roots remain firmly planted in the earth that shaped him. His story is not just one of personal triumph, but of every Indian village that dares to dream beyond its borders.
His early sporting career
It was in the quiet strength of village life that OP Singh Karhana unknowingly laid the foundation for a future in athletics. But destiny truly took shape when, as a teenager, he was introduced to shot put—a sport he had never seen before but instantly felt drawn to—at the Army School in Bhatinda. It wasn’t just the thrill of throwing; it was the challenge, the precision, the power—the very qualities life in Lakhuwas had instilled in him.
His natural strength, carved through years of climbing trees, wrestling in the mud, and carrying loads through the fields, found perfect expression in the iron ball resting on his shoulder. “My father was posted in Bhatinda and that’s where it all started. The physical training teacher in my school, who was a national-level shot putter himself, introduced me to the sport. He encouraged me to take it up. I was a basketball player but he insisted that I should try my hands at shot put because of my innate physical qualities. That’s how I started training for it under his guidance,” Karhana recalled.
His love for the sport grew intense after he made a winning debut at the CBSE schools cluster tournament and broke a national record. In 2004, he won gold medal in the junior national championship (under 18) in Vijayawada gold medal and since there has been no looking back. After he passed class 12, he shifted his base to Patiala national training-base and practised there for 17 years from 2005 to 2022. During this period, he brought several laurels and accolades to his state and country. By 2005, Om Prakash had already made headlines in the junior athletics scene. With a powerful throw of 19.36 meters, he broke the Indian junior record and announced his arrival. The country began to take notice.
The 20m milestone
Then came 2009—a breakthrough year. He crossed the sacred 20-meter mark with a throw of 20.02 meters, an elite benchmark that very few Indian athletes had reached. The same year, he clinched the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in Guangzhou, China, confirming that he wasn’t just India’s best—he was among Asia’s finest.
The former national record holder won the national championships thrice and also won the Asian Indoor Championships in 2014. He won gold at the Asian Championships in 2009 and followed it up with two bronze medals in the 2011 and 2013 editions.
He is only the third Indian shot putter then, after Shakti Singh (20.60m) and Bahadur Singh Sagoo (20.40m), to cross the 20m-mark. He made a national record 20.69m in Hungary to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics.
At the London Olympics, much was anticipated from Karhana but he managed to hit just 19.86m, far from his personal best, to finish 18th in the 40-man field. In 2022, he took retirement from the sport but turned his focus to coaching.
Donning the coach’s hat
Singh has now transitioned into a full-time coach, dedicating his experience and expertise to nurturing the next generation of throwers. Currently, he is training a group of six to seven promising shot putters with a long-term vision of preparing them for the 2030 Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and even the 2036 Olympics. To ensure holistic development, Singh has set up his own gym equipped with modern strength and conditioning facilities tailored for the demands of shot put. Additionally, he has collaborated with a nearby school to access their field, providing his trainees with regular practice space. With his structured approach and hands-on mentorship, Singh is working to build a strong pipeline of athletes capable of making a mark on the international stage.
‘Credit to Neeraj Chopra for transforming athletic scene in India…’
Singh believes that the athletics landscape in India has undergone a remarkable transformation. Earlier, he says, awareness about track and field events was limited, as these disciplines were often perceived to be niche, demanding specific innate physical attributes such as height, build, and natural strength—qualities not commonly associated with the masses. However, the perception has shifted significantly in recent years. Whenever an Indian athlete wins a medal, the entire nation resonates with the triumph, celebrating it as a collective victory. Singh credits much of this change to Neeraj Chopra’s historic Olympic gold in javelin, which served as a turning point in popularizing athletics across the country.
He also points out that the Athletics Federation of India, along with proactive government initiatives, has played a key role in nurturing the sport. Unlike his playing days, athletes today also benefit from private sponsorships, offering them better support and exposure. Speaking specifically about shot put, Singh highlights that India has traditionally dominated the sport at the Asian level since independence. Now, however, the focus is firmly on consolidating India’s standing on the global stage, with the aim of challenging the best in the world.
Tips from the coach
According to Singh, an intelligent coach must have a deep understanding of an athlete’s capabilities, limitations, and potential. In disciplines like shot put or discus, where height provides a natural advantage, athletes who are 6’2” and above may benefit from leverage and reach. However, those below this height must compensate with explosive strength, refined technique, and superior conditioning, he believes.
“The coach should also cross-check the physical attributes and sporting history of family members to understand genetic predispositions such as build, muscle type, endurance, and injury patterns. Based on this comprehensive assessment, the coach can then develop a personalised training plan,” he said. Singh also insists that parents should focus on developing the child’s general fitness in the first 15 years. “These are the formative years, when you should not restrict your child to one specific sport. Encourage him or her to take up multiple sports. Then if your child has the speed, strength and height, opt for shot put and the next 10 years will be dedicated towards holistic training. Don’t expect magical performances or medals in barely a few months. An athlete needs at least 8 to 10 years to develop the right kind of strength for top performance in shot out,” he explained.
“Injury is not a part of sports, but a result of faulty training”
Singh recalls how an elbow injury cut short his medal hopes in 2012 Olympics. “Injuries in shot put are often the result of wrong technique and flawed training programmes. In my case, less recovery time, improper nutrition and overloading led to my elbow injury,” Singh explained. He stresses that injuries are not an inevitable part of sport but a consequence of “wrong training, overtraining and putting the body under undue stress.”
Singh was the only Indian shot putter to qualify for the Olympics in 2012, while in 2008 the country could not send any athlete in the event. Speaking on the future of the sport in India, he is optimistic: “We have a huge talent pool because of our mixed geography, which gives us physical variations suitable for every sport. But what we lack are expert coaches, infrastructure and nutritional support.”
What India needs to have world-class athletes…
According to him, an athlete requires 5,000–6,000 calories a day, sourced from high-quality proteins, something many families in India cannot afford. He calls on both government and private sponsors to step in to provide the necessary support.
Looking at the bigger picture, Singh says every child should get at least an hour of play daily, with parents and teachers identifying their talents early. “It takes 25 years to prepare an athlete for the Olympics. The journey is long, but with the right support, Indian athletes can achieve world-class results,” he said.
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