Pankaj Pratihari is now looking forward to the upcoming World Championships. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 11: Winning the Junior Mr India title has delighted 21-year-old bodybuilder Pankaj Pratihari and many others who follow the same passion. The young bodybuilder, who won the title earlier this week at Nasik, hails from Puri and is currently working hard for the upcoming World Championships.

Pankaj won the national pageant organised by the Indian Bodybuilding Federation where around 500 participants contested in six different weight categories, starting from 55kg to 75kg and above. The finalists of each category again contested and Pankaj was chosen the winner. Eleven participants from Orissa took part in the contest.

Belonging to a family of sevayats (or servitors) at the Puri Jagannath temple, Pankaj also works as a servitor of goddess Laxmi at the temple. The youngster finds it tough to get trained in bodybuilding with his little income. “I have a gym here. But buying the equipment for the training was really tough,” said Pankaj. “However, my uncle and family members have been very encouraging. In fact, it was my uncle who is also a bodybuilder, who inspired me to pursue this passion,” he said.

Pankaj says that proper training expenses reach up to Rs 20,000 per month. 'A bodybuilder has to follow a very strict schedule that includes working out for 5-6 hours, taking only fruit diet and fruit juice and then protein supplement,” he said. The youngster added that he misses rice and oily food. “I take rice and fried dishes only once in six months. It is tough for an Oriya, but I have to do it for my passion,” he said.

Tanning in the sun after massaging oil all over the body, is another important element in bodybuilding. “It helps in burning fat and improves muscularity,” he said. Since the city does not have any state-of-the-art gyms, the bodybuilder said he visits holiday resorts to get a sauna or steam bath.

“As it is an expensive passion to pursue, its tough to maintain a life without any government support. States like Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal and Kerala provide great facilities for bodybuilding,” he said.The youngster is currently training under coach Babuli Swain of the Orissa Amateurs Bodybuilding Federation. “The expenses for the preparation of World Championships organised by the World Physique Federation will be very high. But Pankaj is a very good contestant for the event,”said Swain.

“I serve goddess Laxmi and have my faith on her. I'm sure she will help me in my pursuit,' said Pankaj, who had emerged fourth in the senior segment of the Mr India pageant last year.