This conversation started in a small corner of the Student Union here at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I left that place feeling a changed person. With the culmination of Women’s History Month, meeting Anjali Vittal brought me closer to understanding how we don’t necessarily need to look farther away for revolutionary examples of glass-shattering female accomplishments. Women like Vittal constantly redefine the meaning of action while thriving in midst of muddy water, urging us to start now and never give up.
Studying Biology on the Neuroscience Track, Vittal chose to pursue the major after watching a relative of hers suffer from autism spectrum disorder. Her observations led her to ask questions about diversity in character and biological makeup. “Before I began lifting, I was barely reaching 90 pounds and I was very skinny”, she recalls from her time at high school. She initially wanted to become a basketball player, participating in trials for programs in high school. Stepping into a chunky pair of shorts and her father’s socks, she was hit with the realization that she was different, she stuck out.
Lifting itself has been a severely male-dominated sport and charting territory as a woman of Indian origin already seemed like a tough enough task. Yet, Vittal’s life has been a testament to how she has crafted this diversity into her unique strength, something that she draws power from. Rather than being pushed back, she chose to pursue becoming a coxswain in a varsity all-boys crew team. “At times I had to command the respect of these extremely confident guys with no confidence in myself. Being in a leadership position, I had to learn how to stand up for myself time and time again. My 4’11-ness and 90 pound-ness was my strength because this was all about free speed. But how do I love myself when I’m not in this position and those qualities are not useful anymore?”, she explained.
This followed a period in Vittal’s life that was incredibly tumultuous. Boxing became her refuge but after she was cheated on, a large part of her day was taken up by the sport.
It was all very intense, especially with low body confidence. I was barely eating while also boxing 5 days a week. Every piece of workout clothing I wore did not look normal, I felt like I wasn’t built for it.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, her powerlifter friend, Megan Hurley, was responsible for picking her up and motivating her to try lifting at the gym. Smiling, she reflects back to how she absolutely hated it the first two months that she even attempted her hand at it. Dealing with severe crash-and-burn periods, what got her through was how it affected her mentally. Her continuous progress physically and the supportive community on social media she found through all the struggles was the cherry on top.
There are still low moments in Vittal’s life, now and again when academics get tough or when personal issues transpire. And during those moments, she finds solace in her father’s words. “He is the exact person I want to be”, she says with admiration in her eyes. “He thinks a lot like me and understands exactly where I’m coming from. Whatever he does say to me is usually not something I want to hear but something I HAVE to hear. He is the hardest worker I know and a simple talk with him is a wake-up call”.
Vittal genuinely believes that all areas of her life are connected; if she slacks off at one task, it spreads to all the other things and a stable balance is something she consciously strives for. Her resilience comes from juggling athletics, academics, and emotions while reminding herself every day that her flaws are something she can keep working on.
Vittal catalogs her journey mostly through Instagram. Starting the account back in August, she has gained an impressive following of 13K over the course of her freshman year at UMass. “A video of mine got posted by SportsCenter. I got a DM from them saying ‘Hey, can we post this with credit to you’ and I’m absolutely freaking out. I was in a chemistry class when this happened and I was like how can I even pay attention in class anymore.” Vittal watches in excitement and humility as all her accounts start blowing up eventually and continue to gain traction. SportsCenter doesn’t post a lot of lifting reels, yet they chose Vittal’s video due to its showcase of true sportsmanship, amplifying a universal feeling all athletes can identify with.
Staying real on social media is about 95% of what I do. I don’t think I’m famous, I’m very very normal and I’m here wanting to feel helpful to people
A huge part of her audience appreciates the honesty that she has upheld on the platform not just with lifting, but the ups and downs in her life as a college student, making jokes, and hanging out with her closest friends. Coming to UMass has definitely boosted her morale, especially the infectious energy of the UMass Powerlifting Team. Along with sharpening her tricks and techniques in the sport, she continues to train with peers.
I verbalized how proud younger Anjali would have been to see her fighting the odds day-in-day-out while remaining true to everything she holds close and if there was anything she would have wanted to say to her. “I wouldn’t have been anywhere in my life if I didn’t do whatever gave me severe anxiety. So I would tell her to do whatever scares the hell out of you and you will become everything you ever wanted to be,” she confessed.
It was probably at the end of our conversation that I wholly realized how rare it is to meet someone like Vittal, someone so rooted to her cause, so defiant in her spirit and identity. This Woman’s History Month, I pay tribute to my fellow female pioneers who shine the brightest and boldest in the face of immense adversity.
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