53-year-old single father loses 30 kg in 18 months: The reason behind his fitness journey will move you

A father from Mumbai went from 115 kg weigh to 85 kg weight in order to ‘outlive’ his son. The 53-year-old Indian man shared that he decided to get healthy to become the primary care giver of his son with special needs. Check his emotional story.

No one can love you as much as your parents. This was truly proven by 53-year-old Devang Gandhi, and his story deserves everyone's attention. A single father, Gandhi recently participated in the Mumbai Hyrox fitness race, dedicating it to his specially-abled son. Gandhi lost 30 kg in just 18 months to take care of his son.

Meet Devang Gandhi who went from 115 kg to 85 kg for his son

Gandhi believes that he must take care of himself to take care of his son. In fact, he wants to 'outlive' his son. Talk about true love.

Devang Gandhi’s heartwarming fitness story was recently shared online by Sports Lab of Masters’ Union.

In the now-viral video, seemingly emotional Gandhi opened up about the personal reason behind his fitness journey, which started in 2024 when he was 115 kg. He said that he lost 30 kgs in 18 months for his son Rudra, who has special needs. "I did it for my son Rudra," he said in the video, followed by an emotional pause.

‘I have to outlive my son’

Gandhi said that he wanted to get fit as he needed to become Rudra's primary caregiver for life. “I have to outlive him. I have to live more than him so that I can take care of him. This fitness journey is not for me, it's for my son, Rudra,” said the father from India, fighting tears on camera.

At the event, Gandhi was seen running, taking part in battle rope workouts and push-ups.

During the fitness event, Devang Gandhi suffered from a bad cramp and was seen heading towards the medical room. However, the 53-year-old returned to finish his first Hyrox race.

“But he had a really, really bad cramp on his leg and he had to go to the medical room. I thought he would give up.

“He was advised not to continue. It seemed impossible for him to finish. I really thought he would give up. And as I was watching him be extremely tired, in a lot of pain, and at the brink of giving up... he drew all his strength just for this one cause. He finished it all for his son, Rudra,” the narrator said in the video.

Towards the end, Gandhi credited his son for his win.

Internet cheers for Indian father

Reacting to the Instagram video, a user wrote in the comments, "Crying for strangers on the internet again." "To wish to outlive your child is perhaps one of the most painful things a parent could ever have to endure. I wish you a long, healthy, happy and deeply blessed life. May Rudra continue to be showered with abundant blessings, love and happiness always," added another.

Someone else commented, "Fathers love, gentlemen. Don’t underestimate what lengths a father can go."

Gandhi reacts

Meanwhile, Gandhi responded to the warm response in the comments. He shared, "Thank you so much! You’ve captured this journey beautifully. This video means a lot to me — not just because of HYROX, but because of everything that went into getting here. Truly appreciate the time, effort and thought you’ve put into making this for me."

Disclaimer: This article is based on social media generated content and is intended only for informational and educational purposes. Live Mint couldn't independently verify its claim and doesn't endorse them.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.

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