Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji has opened up about the disturbing online abuse she says followed her breakthrough performance at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships. The 21-year-old went viral after lifting 140kg in the deadlift to win silver in the Junior Women’s 47kg category.
She has now revealed that the attention also brought sexual harassment, impersonation and the creation of AI-generated images using her face and body without her consent.
Who is Keyaa Banerji?
Banerji competed at the championships in Sun City, South Africa, where she recorded a 90kg squat, 50kg bench press and 140kg deadlift for a 280kg total. Her 140kg deadlift earned her silver in the individual event, while she finished fifth overall in the 47kg junior category.
Weighing 45.70kg at the competition, Banerji lifted more than three times her body weight. Alongside her sporting achievements, she went viral online for her looks. Many termed her as the 'most beautiful' powerlifter in the world, with comments made on her 'Bengali genes' and her 'K-Pop' style look.
‘Sexual harassment online’
In a post shared on social media, Banerji said she had been dealing with sexual harassment online and accounts impersonating her. She also alleged that people had made disturbing comments about her ethnicity, ancestry and caste.
The powerlifter said the most troubling part was discovering thousands of AI-generated images featuring her face and body, created and edited without her consent.
She said seeing AI-generated images of herself circulating without consent had made her uncomfortable. Banerji added that she would rather take “shaky steps” towards standing up for herself than remain silent while seeing different versions of herself online.
