Seema Kaliramna: CWG 2026 bronze, PhD and motherhood fuel Asian Games bid
Synopsis
Seema Kaliramna didn't just win a CWG 2026 bronze — she did it while managing arthritis, a PhD on athlete psychology, and motherhood. Her third-attempt throw of 58.65m was, in a literal sense, her own research in action. Now she wants gold at Aichi-Nagoya.
Key Takeaways
Seema Kaliramna won a bronze medal in discus throw at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow with a throw of 58.65m on her third attempt.
She is a PhD scholar researching 'Impact of Imaginary and Positive Self-Talk Training on Athletes' Performance' and applied its principles during the final.
Kaliramna battled post-pregnancy arthritis after her son's birth in 2022 , losing weight from 80–85 kg to 50–55 kg before recovering through muscle training.
Her husband and coach, Ravinder , advised against steroids and guided her recovery through structured training.
She is supported by the Inspire Institute of Sport and manages PhD work on rest days while her son's grandparents provide childcare in Bhiwani .
Her next target is a medal — ideally of a higher colour — at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya .
Haryana's Seema Kaliramna arrived at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow carrying more than a discus. The Bhiwani-based athlete — a PhD scholar, a mother of a four-year-old, and a survivor of post-pregnancy arthritis — threw 58.65 metres on her third attempt to claim a bronze medal in discus throw, and has now set her sights on a medal upgrade at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
A Bronze Built on Mental Discipline
Kaliramna's path to the podium at Glasgow was far from smooth. Her opening throw in the final hit the nets — a moment that might have rattled a less prepared competitor. Instead, she fell back on the very subject she is researching for her doctorate.
'I was not worried at all after my first throw hit the net. I knew I had five throws. My second throw went to something around 57m, but I told myself that I have four more throws left and I have to do my best in them,' she said.
Her PhD thesis is titled 'Impact of Imaginary and Positive Self-Talk Training on Athletes' Performance' — and she applied its principles in real time. The mental reset produced a 58.65m throw on the third attempt, which proved decisive. 'If I had not been mentally prepared, I would not have been able to nail my other throws well. I have been applying this to myself and have yielded results from that, including in the CWG 2026,' she said.
Battling Arthritis After Childbirth
Kaliramna's physical journey has been equally demanding. After the birth of her son in 2022, she was diagnosed with arthritis that caused her weight to drop sharply from 80–85 kg to 50–55 kg. Doctors reportedly advised steroids, cautioning that the condition could only be managed, not cured.
Her husband and coach, Ravinder, chose a different path. 'He told me that we will practice and train, which will help me build muscle and it might bring the arthritis pain down a lot. And that was true; the arthritis pain is not permanent now. It comes only a few times,' she said.
Dietary vigilance remains essential. During a recent Silver Continental tour, she experienced swelling in her hands and legs, tracing the cause to a specific food item only two to three days later. 'So I left that, and the swelling went away after a couple of days. I have to stay vigilant about what to eat and what not to,' she noted.
Balancing Motherhood, Research and Elite Sport
Training at Patiala keeps Kaliramna away from her young son, who lives with his grandparents in Bhiwani. The family bridges the distance by travelling to Patiala, where the child stays for two to three days before returning. 'My son's grandparents take care of my son, so I receive help from them,' she said.
Her PhD work is structured around rest days — Saturdays, Sundays, and other non-training windows — ensuring it does not encroach on athletic preparation. 'Study has never been a barrier to sports,' she said. Kaliramna is supported by the Inspire Institute of Sport.
Asian Games: The Next Target
'My next focus is on the Asian Games. I have won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games; now my focus lies on changing the colour of the medal at the Asian Games,' Kaliramna said. The Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya represent the next competitive milestone on her calendar, and given the trajectory — from post-arthritis recovery to a CWG podium — few would bet against her.
Point of View
Rarely about the compounded burden of motherhood, chronic illness, and academic pursuit running simultaneously. Her PhD subject is not incidental colour; it is the actual mechanism of her performance, and that deserves more analytical attention than a human-interest sidebar. The Inspire Institute of Sport's role also raises a broader question: how many elite Indian women athletes require private institutional support precisely because the national system does not adequately account for the realities of athlete-mothers? The Asian Games will be a sharper test, but the structural story here is bigger than any single medal.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Seema Kaliramna?
Seema Kaliramna is a discus thrower from Bhiwani, Haryana, who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. She is also a PhD scholar and mother, supported by the Inspire Institute of Sport, and is coached by her husband Ravinder.
How did Seema Kaliramna win the CWG 2026 bronze despite a poor start?
After her first throw hit the nets, Kaliramna used the positive self-talk techniques she researches in her PhD to refocus. Her third attempt measured 58.65m, which secured the bronze medal in discus throw.
How did Seema Kaliramna recover from arthritis?
Kaliramna developed arthritis after the birth of her son in 2022, losing significant body weight in the process. On her husband and coach Ravinder's advice, she avoided steroids and instead focused on muscle-building training, which reportedly reduced the frequency and intensity of the pain.
What is Seema Kaliramna's PhD research about?
Her doctoral thesis is titled 'Impact of Imaginary and Positive Self-Talk Training on Athletes' Performance.' She has applied its principles to her own competition preparation, citing the CWG 2026 bronze as a direct result of that mental training.
What is Seema Kaliramna's next sporting goal?
Kaliramna has stated that her next focus is the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she aims to improve on her bronze medal finish at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
