Amid South Delhi’s glitter and flashy gym bods is a soul that’s all about pushing boundaries — literally. With strength, determination, and endurance, 41-year-old Rohtash Chaudhary from Khanpur village has carved a moniker for himself: Push-Up Man of India.
Rohtash performed an astonishing 847 push-ups with 60lbs (27.21kg) strapped to his back, all within an hour at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recently. With this feat, he created a Guinness World Record, breaking the previous record of 820 push-ups held by Syria. “This win took years of discipline,” he tells us, adding, “It may seem simple, but the truth is that it took a lot of focus, strategy, and dedication to achieve. Bahut preparation lagi is journey mein.”
His smile radiates both exhaustion and pride as he recalls his prep: “I’d wake up at 4am and then go for a four-hour workout session. Din ke 1,000 pushups maarne ki koshish karta raha.”
Breaking records, he confesses, has “become a habit” now. “Just last year, I performed 534 push-ups in an hour with the same 60lbs weight on my back, and surpassed a record earlier held by Pakistan,” he shares, adding, “I’d like to dedicate my new record to our Army, Air Force and Navy ke jawan; jinhone Operation Sindoor mein humari raksha ki… My eyes are now set on breaking England’s record of 685 push-ups with 80lbs on my back. That will be my salute to our country.”
Rohtansh’s proud journey began from a place of recovery rather than glory. “I was a boxer when I was young. And in 2007, I met with an accident that left me bedridden for two days due to a lower back injury. Jab main theek hua, tab maine wapas strength gain karna shuru kara. In 2016, I made the first Guinness World Record with 521 push-ups in one minute with 80lbs on my back.”
{{/usCountry}}Rohtansh’s proud journey began from a place of recovery rather than glory. “I was a boxer when I was young. And in 2007, I met with an accident that left me bedridden for two days due to a lower back injury. Jab main theek hua, tab maine wapas strength gain karna shuru kara. In 2016, I made the first Guinness World Record with 521 push-ups in one minute with 80lbs on my back.”
{{/usCountry}}Then, there was no looking back for this athlete. His secret “lies as much in discipline as in a strict vegetarian diet”. But beyond the medals and records, Rohtash wants to share: “My message to India’s youth is ki woh apni health pe dhyan dein. Chahe woh din ke 10 push-ups ho ya yoga ho. Health, truly, is wealth.”