At 18, he built a gym. Two months later, a 5kg cancerous tumour crushed his lung and chemo shattered his body. Now, he deadlifts 220kgs
At 18, Paras Bajaj realized his dream by opening a gym, but his world turned upside down with a cancer diagnosis. Despite undergoing grueling chemo and surgery, he returned to his gym, driven by a renewed purpose. Now cancer-free, Paras is rebuilding his strength, inspiring others with his resilience and determination, deadlifting 220 kgs.
Uttarakhand's Paras Bajaj defeated lung cancer and is now a fitness trainer. (Instagram- @iparasbajaj_) At just 18, Paras Bajaj was living his dream—he had launched his own gym in Sitarganj, Uttarakhand filled it with imported machines, and was transforming not only his own body but also helping others change theirs. A school dropout who had always been more passionate about fitness than studies, Paras had taken a leap of faith by joining a fitness academy in Delhi. There, he discovered that fitness wasn't just about building a body—it was about discipline, consistency, and purpose. His transformation was underway, and life finally seemed on track.
In an interview with the Humans of Bombay, he shared that just two months into his success story, everything came crashing down. What he thought was a mild cough turned out to be cancer. A second opinion revealed that a 5kg tumour had crushed his right lung. While his family was still processing the diagnosis, Paras could only think of one thing—his gym, his dream. The chemo that followed stripped him of his strength. His muscles disappeared, his hair fell out, and even lying down became a struggle.
The lowest point came when he barely recognised himself in the mirror. Yet, on April 30, 2024, after months of relentless treatment, he underwent surgery. Just twelve days later, the words 'You're cancer free' changed his life again—but this time with renewed clarity. A month and a half after surgery, still recovering, he walked back into his gym, not as a trainer, but as a fighter with a new mission: to rebuild, rep by rep. Today, Paras wears his scars with pride. Cancer didn't steal his dream—it made him stronger as he deadlifts 220 kgs.
( Originally published on Jul 25, 2025 )
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