FULL NAME: Purna Chandra Bidika

BORN: April 4, 1957 at Harijan Sahi, Rayagada

ADDRESS: Harijan Sahi, Rayagada- 765001, Orissa.

TELEPHONE: 9437344756 (Mobile), 06856-235646 (Res)

FAMILY: Son of Biswambar Bidika and Jamani Bidika, Purna has a 9-member family, comprising his mother Jamani, wife Manika, four sons (Chandrasekhar, Bansidhar, Trimurty and Dev Giridhar) and two daughters (Parbati and Saraswati).

ACADEMI QUALIFICATION: Studied up to seventh class

PROFESSION: Working as messenger in Indian Overseas Bank, Kerada at Rayagada.

COACH: Self-taught powerlifter

EARLY CAREER: Started lifting weights while helping his farther in agriculture. He used to dug out stones from the land in his bare hands and loaded 75kg weight paddy bags on the cart at the age of 15.

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS:

NATIONAL:

• Made his debut in competitive weightlifting from the Sub-divisional championship in 1977.


• Entered district meet in 1985 and finished first. He went on to win the district weightlifting and powerlifting titles for the seventh successive times.


• Made his debut in the State powerlifting championship in 1985.


• He has so far won 12 titles in powerlifting and armwrestling.


• Made National powerlifting debut in 2005 at Bhubaneswar and went on to win the title the 52kg Masters title, lifting 375kg.


• Won the 52kg master title at the National Armwrestling championship at Bhilai.


• Won the Master-I title in the National Armwrestling Championship in Uttar Pradesh in 2006.


• Finished second 52kg senior category of the Federation Cup Powerlifting Championship at Jamshedpur in February, 2007.


• Finished second in 60kg Master-II category of the National Powerlifting Championship at Lucknow from March, 2008.

INTERNATIONAL:

• Won the 56kg Master title in the Asian Powerlifting championship at Alleppy, Kerala in May 1-5, 2005.


• Finished seventh in the World Armwrestling championship at Tokyo, Japan in 2006.


• Won the 56kg Master-I title in the World Powerlifting Championship held at Texas in the USA in October 1-6, 2006.


• Finished second in 60kg Master-II category of the Asian Powerlifting Championship at Chinese Taipei in May 1-5, 2007.


• Won the 60kg Master-II title ( 4 gold) in the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championshipat Christchurch, New Zealand from December 1-5, 2007.


• Won the 60kg Master-II title in the Asian Powerlifting Championship at Taskent in Uzbekistan in May 1-5, 2008.


• Finished third in the 60kg Master-II category of the World Powerlifting Championship at Palmspring City in the USA from October 1-5, 2008.


• Won gold medal in the Asian Powerlifting Championship held at Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar from May 1 to 6.

OTHER IMPORTANT DATA:

• A complete vegetarian, Bidika eats reggae (mandia) to built strength for powerlifting.


• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik arranged a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for Bidika to participate in international competition.