Some people chase titles. Others build legacies.
Bhaben Deori, Assam’s first IFBB Pro Men’s Physique athlete and IIT Kharagpur alumnus, is doing both , by transforming how India nurtures athletic talent.
Through MyAthlete, Bhaben is creating India’s first structured ecosystem designed to identify, fund, and mentor emerging athletes , giving them access to world-class coaching, global exposure, and belief in their own potential.
His journey is a story of discipline, systems thinking, and faith that India can produce champions , if it builds the right support around them.
Tell us a bit about your background
From Dhemaji, Assam , IIT Kharagpur alumnus (BTech, MTech Hons), IFBB Pro Men’s Physique athlete(Assam’s First), and Founder of MyAthlete, a movement dedicated to shaping India’s future Olympians.
With a dual career spanning business leadership at SLB (Schlumberger) and professional bodybuilding, I’m currently building MyAthlete, a non-profit platform that identifies and supports athletes from India with immense potential. Through financial aid, world-class mentoring, and international exposure, we empower them to rise beyond limitations and compete on the global stage.
Our mission is simple yet powerful , to shape India’s Olympians and prove that talent, when given the right opportunity, can transform not just individuals but a nation’s sporting legacy.
What first inspired you to begin this journey or take on the role you are in today?
India is full of extraordinary potential ,athletes with world-class talent, discipline, and the hunger to achieve greatness. Yet, many of them never get the opportunity to showcase their abilities on the international stage. Systemic barriers like lack of infrastructure, financial pressure, inconsistent coaching, and limited exposure force countless hidden gems to remain unseen. Some give up, some stay unnoticed, and many never reach the level they’re truly capable of.
When I began competing on the IFBB Pro circuit here in the US and stood next to some of the best athletes in the world, something became very clear to me:
There wasn’t much difference between them and the top athletes back home in India.
The gap wasn’t talent ,it was the system around that talent.
In the last few years, I have also seen how Brazil transformed itself into a dominant force in international bodybuilding and even on the Mr. Olympia stage. That shift made me ask a simple question:
If Brazil can do it, why can’t India?
We have a culture built on discipline. We have elite genetics. We have athletes who are just as hungry and capable.
What we lack is an ecosystem.
And that is exactly what inspired me to build the MyAthlete, a structured, holistic pathway that gives deserving Indian athletes everything they need to rise: financial support, elite coaching, world-class conditioning, exposure, logistics, mentorship, and a clear roadmap to the Olympia stage.
My vision is simple and unwavering:
To ensure India’s talent doesn’t stay hidden , and to shape India’s Olympians.
Along the way, what has been one of the most defining challenges you faced, and how did you navigate it?
A defining challenge was realizing that passion alone isn’t enough to build a high-performance ecosystem in a fragmented sporting environment like India. In the early stages of MyAthlete, we faced multiple operational gaps , unstructured athlete preparation, lack of reliable data, financial unpredictability, and even fundamental barriers like securing US visas for athletes who came from very modest backgrounds. I often found myself training them for visa interviews, arranging documentation, and personally ensuring they cleared every step.
At the same time, I was balancing a demanding global career, my own journey as an IFBB Pro athlete, and building MyAthlete from the ground up. There were nights after long corporate meetings where I shifted straight into athlete planning, early-morning trainings squeezed between time zones, and weekends spent solving on-ground issues in India. The workload was immense, and the responsibility even greater.
I navigated this by applying the same systems-building mindset I developed during my leadership roles at SLB. I focused on creating structure: clear processes, performance indicators, long-term development models, and predictable routines. Once these systems were established, outcomes became more consistent and sustainable.
Most importantly, I ensured every commitment was delivered, flights booked, nutrition planned,, logistics arranged, progress monitored. Slowly, trust grew. And once the athletes realized they finally had someone who operated with integrity, structure, and transparency, everything changed.
That shift , from skepticism to belief , became one of the most defining and rewarding milestones of my journey.
What impact do you feel your work has created so far – for people, communities, or within your industry?
The impact of MyAthlete is something I feel deeply proud of today. What started as a small initiative has grown into a movement , one that is being felt across athletes, communities, and even the broader bodybuilding ecosystem in India. We now have athletes from across the country expressing their desire to join the team, trusting our vision and believing that this ecosystem can truly change their careers. I often hear people say, “What the government should be doing, My Athlete is doing.” That, for me, is a powerful reminder of why we started this journey.
Our work has also attracted brand associations and partnerships that allow us to secure sponsorships for athletes when they need them the most , support that is often the deciding factor between giving up and stepping on a global stage.
What feels even more meaningful is the shift in mindset we’re seeing. On our posts today, people are chanting “Go India”, celebrating athletes from different regional states, and uniting under a national identity. There is a growing belief that Indian athletes belong among the best in the world. I receive messages from strangers saying, “Thank you for making us believe that we can compete on the biggest stages.”
That collective belief , India finally seeing itself as capable of producing Olympia-level athletes—is the real impact. It’s no longer just about supporting individuals; it’s about reshaping a nation’s confidence in its own potential.
Looking ahead, what is your vision or goal for the future?
Looking ahead, my vision is to build MyAthlete into India’s first fully structured, world-class ecosystem capable of consistently producing international champions. I want to create a complete pipeline where talent is identified early, nurtured with elite coaching, supported financially, mentored professionally, and guided all the way to the Olympia stage.
My long-term goal is to make India a dominant force not only in global bodybuilding but in sports as a whole. I envision Indian athletes regularly winning pro shows, earning Olympia qualifications, and stepping onto the world’s biggest stages with confidence, precision, and world-class preparation.
But beyond individual success, I want MyAthlete to spark a cultural shift , a future where multiple Indian athletes walk onto the Olympia stage not as underdogs, but as favorites. A future where discipline, structure, and belief become part of India’s sporting identity.
Ultimately, the future I’m committed to creating is simple:
to build a sporting culture that lasts for generations, and to redefine how India sees talent, discipline, and possibility
Finally, what message would you share with others who want to create positive change but are unsure where to start?
My message to anyone who wants to create positive change but doesn’t know where to start is simple: start small, start honestly, but start. You don’t need a perfect plan or unlimited resources on day one. What you need is clarity of purpose and the willingness to take the first step, even when the path feels uncertain.
When I began MyAthlete, I didn’t have a blueprint for building an ecosystem. I just had a mission , and I let that mission guide every next step. Over time, small actions compounded into something bigger than I could have imagined.
Positive change doesn’t come from waiting for the right moment; it comes from showing up consistently, learning as you go, and building systems that reflect your values. And most importantly, it comes from believing that your effort , no matter how small , can make someone’s life better.
If you can hold on to that belief, stay disciplined, and remain genuine in your intentions, you will create impact. Maybe not overnight, but inevitably.
Great things begin with a single step, taken with purpose.
About MyAthlete
MyAthlete is a non-profit platform redefining how India discovers and supports sporting talent.
MAF believes in the power of potential. Their mission is to identify and nurture deserving athletes with exceptional talent and determination and support them financially so they can access necessary training and coaching to fulfil their potential and achieve excellence at the highest level internationally. By providing structured mentorship, funding, global exposure, and measurable progress tracking, MAF is nurturing India’s next generation of Olympians and rewriting the nation’s athletic narrative.
At UPDEED, we spotlight such chagemakers not just to inspire admiration, but to spark alignment, between purpose, people, and measurable outcomes.
Because when impact is visible, accountability follows and that’s how industries evolve.
UPDEED – Where changemakers lead, and their impact speaks.
