A sound, peaceful sleep could be one thing a woman -- mother of a four-year-old boy and a Scheduled Tribes (ST) Promoter entrusted with taxing field work -- would wish for in the mornings. Swathy Satheesh, 26, a tribal woman from Theviyarukunnu, Aryanad in Thiruvananthapuram doesn't think so.

Her days begin as early as 5 am and are packed with a tiring training routine. Swathi, the first woman bodybuilder from a tribal community in Thiruvananthapuram, never imagined that a casual decision to join a gym two years ago would turn her into a state-level bodybuilding champion.

Once an enthusiastic school athlete, she had left sports behind after her studies, never receiving formal training or recognition beyond school competitions. Years later, she rekindled her passion for fitness.

In February, she competed in the Kerala Health Club Organisation’s state-level bodybuilding championship in Kozhikode, winning three prizes.

Her fitness journey began when she joined Power House Gym, Parandode, after securing her current job. She later moved to nearby Jo Academy, where her trainer, Arun, encouraged her to compete. Initially hesitant, she finally decided to take the plunge just 20 days before the competition.

"I was training for about an hour daily, but after deciding to compete, I increased my workout time to 3-4 hours. Earlier, I trained from 5 am to 8 am and returned in the evening from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm. However, I stopped evening sessions last year to focus on PSC coaching," Swathy said. Despite her demanding nature of work as an ST Promoter, she managed her schedule efficiently.

For the competition, she trained intensively for 10 days, focusing on posture, abs workouts, and muscle conditioning, and following a balanced diet. "Since I weigh only 45kg, I couldn’t risk an extreme diet. Women’s competitions aren’t weight-bound, so I maintained a healthy approach," says Swathy.

Swathy’s first competition was at Nishagandhi, Kanakakunnu, Thiruvananthapuram, where she won first place in the Women’s Physique category and second in Mom Fitness. At the state-level event in Kozhikode, she secured second place in Bodybuilding, third in Mom Fitness, and fourth in Women’s Fitness.

Her achievements have been widely appreciated, with colleagues, friends, and family extending their support. "Women at both gyms I attended usually trained for weight loss, but I was the first to compete," she adds.

Swathy credits her success to the unwavering support of her mother Usha, sister Sruthi, and husband Anees, who works in Ernakulam. Their son, Liyaan, is her biggest source of motivation. Before becoming an ST promoter, Swathi worked in private companies in Ernakulam and Madhya Pradesh after completing a diploma course.