Karnam Malleswari Appointed First Vice Chancellor of Delhi Sports University

New Delhi: Olympic medalist weightlifter Karnam Malleswari has been appointed as first Vice Chancellor of Delhi Sports University by Delhi government on Tuesday.

In 2019, the Delhi Assembly had passed a bill to set up a Delhi Sports University (DSU), which will offer graduation, post-graduation and doctorate degrees in cricket, football and hockey among other sports.

Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal when she won the bronze medal in weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

She hails from Voosavanipeta, Srilakulam and started training in weightlifting when she was 12 years old. During her weightlifting career, she won two gold and two silver in the World Championship in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996.

She was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1994 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1999. She is also a recipient of Padma Shri Award in 1999.