Major Dr. Surendra Poonia, VSM, is an international award-winning sportsman, Limca Book record-holder, physician, former Special Forces officer of the Indian Army, founder of Soldierathon marathon, Fit Bharat and a politician. He is the first Indian athlete with the rare distinction of having won medals in powerlifting and athletic events in four consecutive world championships. He is a graduate of the AFMC, Pune.
Major Poonia is the man who will look straight in your eyes and tell you that he will never stop living for his country. With a confident smile on his face, he would call you his little brother and would go on to talk about his love for the nation and its people for hours.
He was born in a farmer’s family in Sikar, Rajasthan, on January 1, 1977. Ever since his childhood, he’d seen his family work relentlessly, sometimes for 18 hours a day just to earn a decent living. He understood the value of working hard at a very young age and decided to make it a way of living for himself.
A Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the highly prestigious Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, he was commissioned to the Army Medical Corps in August 2001 and made it a primary goal of his life to join the Para Special Forces unit of the Indian Army.
After years of unimaginably difficult training regimen, Major Poonia finally became a member of the Para SF. He served with 2-Para Special Forces, 10-Para Special Forces and 5 Para for five years in the insurgency-ridden area of Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2005 his team engaged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in a counter- insurgency operation in the Bandipore forest in Kashmir. Although during the operation they were able to kill the terrorists, 18 of Major Poonia’s colleagues were gravely injured with multiple gunshot wounds. He was able to save all 18 of his comrades in the middle of the massive firing without thinking of his personal safety and life. For his limitless courage, devotion and service beyond the call of duty in that operation, the Chief of Indian Army honoured him with his commendation Medal.
“When I saw my fellow soldiers sacrifice their lives for the country, I realised that my life is a gift of God. I realised that it must be used to do something good for others also. Selfishly living it for my own self wasn’t enough,” he says. “I realised that I had a responsibility towards my country, the soldiers and the families of those brave men who gave their lives in war.”
He was also part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission to bring and maintain peace in the conflict-prone regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for one year and in 2008, was added to the Parachute-Cavalry regiment of India – The President’s Bodyguard (PBG) and served to protect two Indian Presidents, Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee.
Always a well-recognised athlete, Major Poonia finally saw the opportunity to honour his country in sports and athletics as well when he made his debut at the World Medical and Health Games in Croatia. Without a team, proper medical staff or even a national jersey, he decided to take part in multiple events at the World Championships.
Following his successful venture at the 2010 World Health Games, he went on to represent India in four more World Championships and became the first athlete to win consecutive gold medals in the powerlifting event for three years in a row.
After winning a total of 27 world championship-level medals for the country, being honoured with the ‘Vishisht Seva Medal’ for his ‘Distinguished Service of an Exceptional Order’ in the field of sports and becoming the first Indian doctor to win 10 gold medals in any international championship, Major Poonia has decided to serve his countrymen as a politician and joined a major political party of the country. The essence of his life, the will to spend his living for the betterment of others, remains unshaken.
In 2019 he started Soldierathon marathon in the honour of Indian Soldiers. He organised 2 editions of this marathon in Delhi where more than 12000 and 14000 runners participated and raised fund for battle wounded soldiers.
In Sept 2019 he started a bigger & much required movement Called – Fitistan – Ek Fit Bharat. His aim is to see every Indian citizen fit,healthier and happier. Fitistan-Ek Fit Bharat mission is creating Fit Bharat Army across the nation.
