Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Powerlifter Keyaa Banerji Details Abuse After Viral Silver
Keyaa Banerji is a powerlifter from India who competed in a major championship in South Africa.
She won a silver medal for lifting 140 kilograms in the deadlift event.
Her performance and appearance made her widely discussed online.
Banerji says that some of the attention became harmful.
She reported sexual harassment and fake accounts pretending to be her.
She also said people made troubling comments about her background.
Most seriously, she discovered AI-generated images using her face and body without permission.
She said she would rather speak up, even if it is difficult, than stay silent.
Keyaa Kunal Banerji won silver in the 47kg junior deadlift event at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships.
She lifted 140kg in the deadlift, alongside a 90kg squat and 50kg bench press, for a 280kg total.
Banerji finished fifth overall in the Junior Women’s 47kg category after weighing 45.70kg at the competition.
She said online attention included sexual harassment, impersonation and comments about her ethnicity, ancestry and caste.
Banerji said thousands of AI-generated images using her face and body were created and circulated without her consent.
- Who
- Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji, 21, and the online accounts and users she says harassed or impersonated her.
- What
- Banerji described alleged sexual harassment, impersonation, discriminatory comments and non-consensual AI-generated images following her viral powerlifting performance.
- When
- The abuse followed her performance at the 2026 championships; she recently discussed it in a social-media post.
- Where
- The competition was held in Sun City, South Africa, while the reported harassment and image circulation occurred online.
- Why
- Her 140kg deadlift won a silver medal and attracted widespread online attention, including comments about her appearance and background.
- Athlete
- Keyaa Kunal Banerji
- Championship
- 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships
- Venue
- Sun City, South Africa
- Silver-medal lift
- 140kg deadlift in the Junior Women’s 47kg individual event
- Competition total
- 280kg: 90kg squat, 50kg bench press and 140kg deadlift
- Overall result
- Fifth in the Junior Women’s 47kg category
- Reported abuse
- Sexual harassment, impersonation, discriminatory comments and unauthorized AI-generated images