Achinta Sheuli is an Indian weightlifter from West Bengal who competes in the men's 73 kg category. He is best known for winning the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
| Full name | Achinta Sheuli |
|---|---|
| Sport | Weightlifting |
| Category | Men's 73 kg |
| Country | India |
| State | West Bengal |
| Notable achievement | Gold medal, 2022 Commonwealth Games |
Achinta Sheuli hails from Deulpur in the Howrah district of West Bengal. He took up weightlifting at a young age, following his elder brother Alok into the sport. After the death of his father, the family went through a period of financial hardship, and Achinta continued his training with support from his mother and brother. He was later inducted into the Army Sports Institute in Pune, where he received structured coaching and access to high-level facilities.
Achinta first drew national attention through performances at junior and youth weightlifting championships, where he competed in the 73 kg class. He earned a silver medal at the 2021 Commonwealth Senior Weightlifting Championships, which helped establish him as a contender at the international senior level.
At the Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham in July–August 2022, Achinta won the gold medal in the men's 73 kg event. He set Commonwealth Games records during the competition with his lifts in the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total, finishing well clear of his nearest competitors. The medal was among India's early golds at the Games and was widely covered in Indian media.
Achinta Sheuli's rise from a small town in Howrah to a Commonwealth Games champion is often cited as an example of the impact of institutional support systems such as the Army Sports Institute and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) on Indian Olympic-discipline athletes. His success also continued the strong tradition of Indian weightlifters performing well at the Commonwealth Games, alongside athletes such as Mirabai Chanu and Jeremy Lalrinnunga.