Female doctor becomes first Malaysian Indian professional bodybuilder

Dr Darshini is the first Malaysian Indian to hold an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro Card. Photos: Dr Darshini Thangathurai

Dr Darshini Thangathurai, 40, has become the first Malaysian Indian to earn the prestigious International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro Card - a certification that marks a bodybuilder's official transition into professional status.

Dr Darshini is carving her place in a male-dominated sport.With this achievement, Dr Darshini can now compete in professional IFBB Pro League shows. It also opens the door for her to compete at the Olympia, the prestigious annual bodybuilding and fitness competition.

She earned her Pro Card after participating in the IFBB qualifying event organised by the National Physique Committee (NPC), a United States-based bodybuilding organisation, held in Gyeonggi, South Korea, on October 26.

She competed in the figure category, beating four other athletes in her division.

"We all have an expectation to win, but this was totally unexpected," says Dr Darshini, who flew back to Malaysia on Oct 29.

"When I went there, I gained confidence. How I looked among the competitors was what gave me strength. I didn't overthink it, I just gave my best and somehow, I managed to win," adds the bodybuilder, who lives in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Participants were judged on symmetry, balance, muscularity, posing and overall presentation, with each participant required to perform mandatory poses and a stage walk before a panel of international judges.

Including Dr Darshini, there are currently only seven Malaysians who hold an IFBB Pro Card — a small but growing group of athletes carving their names on the international stage.

More than muscle

Dr Darshini stands out as one of the few Malaysian women who have made a name for themselves in bodybuilding - a sport still largely dominated by men.

She's also proud to represent not only women, but also the Indian community.

Prithvee (left) has been Dr Darshini's pillar of strength."Many people have a bad impression of muscles — they think you must take enhancement drugs to build it. I don't. I wanted to build a strong foundation first. It is not about wanting to get bigger; it is about being patient, consistent and disciplined."

Dr Darshini admits she's been fortunate throughout her bodybuilding journey.

"I haven't faced many challenges," she says. "Of course, there were some negative comments, but I never concentrated on them. My goal was simply to build the physique I wanted. I’m grateful there weren’t many nitpickers. On social media, most of the comments are positive, which is really good."

Before discovering weights, she was an avid marathon runner in her late 20s till early 30s.

"I started running to stay fit," she recalls. "But later, I wanted six-pack abs. That's how I first joined the gym - just to look better," says Dr Darshini, who is a huge fan of Cydney Gillon, an American female bodybuilder and eight-time consecutive winner of the IFBB Figure Olympia competition.

The changes came quickly. Within three months, she began to notice how strength training reshaped her physique. Encouraged by her husband, Prithvee Krisnan, 32 - who is also her personal trainer - she began to train more seriously.

"Prithvee has been the one lighting up the fire," she says with a grin. "He keeps pushing me to go further and stay natural."

When she first told her family she wanted to compete, the reaction was mixed. "They were initially wondering why I wanted to do this. Now, the whole family understands and supports me."Her first taste of competition came in 2019, when she entered the Men of Steel event in Kuala Lumpur and placed ninth in the women's bikini division. From there, her passion for the sport deepened.

In the last six years, she has walked away with many trophies, including second place (bikini open class A) at the 2022 Musclecontest Philippines Pro Qualifier in Luzon Island, the Philippines; second place (bikini open class A) at the 2021 NPC Worldwide Bigman Pro Qualifier in Alicante, Spain, and first prize (bikini open class A) at the 2023 NPC Worldwide Thailand Regional in Bangkok.

Advocating for women and strength

Today, Dr Darshini juggles several roles. She works as a full-time personal trainer at a fitness centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, while also practising part-time as a medical doctor at her family’s clinic in Klang, Selangor.

'You need patience to gain muscle and consistency to keep going,' says Dr Darshini.For her, fitness and medicine go hand in hand.

"I see how exercise and nutrition can change lives," she explains. "Fitness can help manage diabetes, reduce medical issues and improve mental health. That is why I combine both worlds - I can help people medically and physically."

Through her Instagram platform, she uses her story to motivate younger women to embrace fitness and challenge stereotypes around muscles and femininity.

"You need patience to gain muscles and consistency to keep going," she says. "It's not something that happens overnight. It takes sacrifice. Still, the results are worth it."

The medical doctor hopes more Malaysian women will discover the empowerment that comes from lifting weights - not necessarily to compete, but to stay strong and healthy.

"As you age, you tend to have joint pain. Lifting weights strengthens your joints. The more muscles you have, the better your longevity."When it comes to training, she keeps a strict but sustainable schedule.

"In the off season, I train about two hours a day, five times a week," she says. "Rest is very important. You can't just bash your muscles - your body needs time to recover. And eat a balanced diet."Dr Darshini also shares practical advice for those struggling to find time to exercise.

"It is all about time management. If you have 30 to 45 minutes, get it in. Start small — even at home with body-weight workouts. Once you’ve built the habit, step into the gym. There's so much information available on social media. Take the first step and just start," she concludes.