STRENGTH, RESILIENCE, and a relentless pursuit of excellence define the current chapter of Seema Kaliramna’s athletic career. As the 27-year-old discus thrower turns her attention toward the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, she carries with her not just the weight of expectations, but the hard-won perspective of an athlete who has stared down physical adversity—and won.
Following a highly successful stint at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Glasgow, where she secured a hard-earned bronze medal with a throw of 58.65m, Kaliramna’s trajectory remains firmly pointed upward. Her most recent outing at the World Athletics Silver Level Continental Tour in Bhubaneswar, where she recorded a 57.44m finish against a formidable field including Commonwealth champion Samantha Hall, served as a tactical bridge in her preparation rather than a setback.
A Measured Approach to Performance
While some might fret over marginal dips in distance, Kaliramna remains remarkably composed. Her performance in Bhubaneswar, while shy of her personal best of 59.73m, was viewed through a pragmatic lens.
“I just want to throw the discus as far as I can. Now, it can be 60, it can be 65, it can be 70 metres,” Kaliramna told Timesofindia.com in an exclusive interview. “Whether I get the medal or not, that’s another story. I just want to do my best.”
This philosophy of “slow and steady” progress is shared by her husband and coach, Ravinder ‘Monu’ Kaliramna. Together, the pair is meticulously managing her workload, treating the current competitive season as a strategic buildup with the ultimate ambition of Olympic qualification. For Kaliramna, the temptation to force a 60-meter throw is easily dismissed: “It’s better if we progress slowly. If we progress completely, it gets a little messy.”
Overcoming the Impossible
The calm with which Kaliramna now approaches the throwing circle stands in stark contrast to the darkness she navigated just a few years ago. After the 2019 World University Games, her path was derailed by a knee injury, followed by the global challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then came the life-altering arrival of her son, Rudra, in 2022.
The period following childbirth brought an unexpected and brutal physical challenge: severe arthritis. The athlete who once dominated the circle found herself unable to walk more than 10 meters, let alone lift her own child. The pain was so debilitating that she admitted to questioning the value of continuing her life.
“At that time, I was not able to walk up to 10 meters, and I was not able to pick up my child,” she recalled. “In such a condition, a person thinks that instead of living like this, it is better not to live.”
It was her husband’s unwavering belief that sparked the comeback. “My husband said that we will start the game again,” she said. “We will take her according to her body, as and when the muscle develops, the arthritis will reduce.”
The strategy worked. Through grueling rehabilitation and carefully managed training, Kaliramna transformed her physical state. From a pre-motherhood personal best of 48.08m, she shattered barriers to reach 57.19m in 2024, clinched the National Games title, and continued her ascent to her current 59.73m mark.
A United Front
The partnership between Seema and Ravinder is the bedrock of her success. Beyond the technical coaching, they are partners in a shared dream. Supported by the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), which has provided essential backing in physiotherapy, logistics, and training, the couple has managed to build a professional environment despite the absence of traditional government or corporate job security.
Though she was recently approached for a junior coaching position by the Haryana government, her focus remains entirely on the discus. Her dedication to the sport is matched only by her dedication to her family. Leaving four-year-old Rudra behind to compete remains the most difficult part of her professional life.
“He cannot go with me now, but we will make him so that in the future he goes out and we go with him,” she says, painting a vision of a future where her son is the one chasing global athletics glory.
The Road to Aichi-Nagoya
As the September 19 start date for the Asian Games draws near, the narrative for Kaliramna is clear. She is not merely competing for a medal; she is climbing a ladder. After securing a podium finish in Glasgow, she views the Asian Games as the next pivotal step toward her ultimate goal: the Olympic stage.
When asked about her success, she avoids the individual spotlight, echoing the sentiment she expressed after her triumph in Glasgow: “We did it.”
Whether she clears the 60-meter barrier in Aichi-Nagoya or not, Seema Kaliramna has already cleared the highest hurdle imaginable. The discus is, for now, just the instrument of a woman who has already proven that the strength of the human spirit outweighs any physical limitation.
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