Women’s Wrestling in India: In India, wrestling has existed since prehistoric times. In India, wrestling has always been associated with force and strength. One of the best wrestlers of all time was thought to be Bhima from Mahabharat. But what about Indian women’s wrestling?
Indian women are traditionally associated with being stay-at-home mothers who take care of the household. Furthermore, women’s wrestling was not as well-known in India as men’s wrestling was. Indian women were not exposed to anything that had to do with physical prowess or strength!
I’ve often wondered why it took us so long to establish a space where Indian women wrestlers feel “right” and that being physically strong does not equate to masculinity! Why is it thought that being physically powerful makes one less feminine? There is still a segment of the population whose perspectives are stagnant and who believe that progress would be excessive.
Fortunately, after Geeta Phogat’s gold medal at the Commonwealth Games of 2010, things began to improve, and India became stronger! There are a lot of female wrestlers in our nation these days.
Numerous aspirant female wrestlers from India have spoken out about what they deserve and how they shouldn’t have to fight to be able to compete in this sport.
Women’s Wrestling In India: Struggles And The Fight For Equality
Geeta remembered in an interview how she and her sisters used to train on muddy terrain and how easily one could get hurt on that type of surface. These days, training sessions and matches are conducted on wrestling mats.
It is easy to refer to Geeta Phogat as the leader of Indian women’s wrestling. Her success served as a kind of confirmation that women wrestlers in India are real and have nothing to be embarrassed by. Even though Geeta’s current situation isn’t simple,. Above all biases and societal conventions, her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, who served as her tutor, had a vision.
There is a lesson to be learned from the man’s mindset and level of confidence in his daughters. A guy who not only raised his daughters but also had the attitude “maari chhoriya choro se kam hai ke” was revered in the land of Haryana, the state that regrettably has the highest rate of female foeticide.
The Phogat Glory
The motion picture Dangal vividly captured the hardships and hostility the Phogat family experienced when they began wrestling at an early age. For all the splendor and pride she bestowed upon our nation, Geeta attributes it all to her father.
They have experienced everything, from having to deal with the disapproving looks of onlookers to battling for equal rights and opportunities at the federal level. In Phogat’s family, wrestlers are all members. Babita Kumari, Geeta’s younger sister, is a gold medallist in wrestling at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The youngest Phogat sister, Ritu Phogat, continued India’s supremacy in wrestling by winning gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Games.
Geeta’s cousin Vinesh Phogat won gold for India in the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. In 2018, she also made history as the first Indian woman to win gold at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. Talent runs in their family!
Geetika Jakhar is unquestionably a less well-known but no less significant figure in Indian women’s wrestling.
Indian woman wrestler Geeta Jakhar, who competed in the 63 kg class, made history by being the first female athlete in Indian history to be voted the best wrestler at the 2005 Commonwealth Games.
She is the first female wrestler from India to win a bronze medal in the 2014 Asian Games and a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games. She has nine times in a row won the Bharat Kesari title. In 2006, Geetika became the first female wrestler to get the Arjuna Award. Additionally, she holds the record for being the youngest wrestler to win a gold medal at the 2001 National Championships throughout all editions! She is an inspiration to all of us with her record of numerous firsts.
Women’s Wrestling In India – Today
The last few years have seen a great deal of change. It’s admirable how the more experienced wrestlers have divided up the work of setting up a simple platform for the up-and-coming young female wrestlers. The popular film “Dangal” is also credited with altering parents’ perspectives. With the hope of their girls becoming the next Sakshi Malik or Geeta Phogat, parents are sending their daughters to wrestling coaching centers.
Everything about women wrestling—the attraction, the acceptance, the love—brings forth such a positive feeling and serves as a reminder that Indian women are capable of anything—if they put in the necessary time and effort.
Indian female wrestler Navjot Kaur made history in March 2018 when she won the gold medal in the 65kg division of the Asian Wrestling Championship, making history as the first Indian woman to do so. Growing India needs women wrestlers like Navjot as the proper kind of influence. But these kinds of proud moments are nothing new to Navjot. In the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, she took home a bronze medal. In the 65 kg class, she went on to earn a gold medal in the 2018 Asian Wrestling Championships.
Indian women wrestlers are at last confident in their decisions and the careers they wish to follow. Even though so much has changed, there is still space for improvement, and women’s wrestling is still not regarded as a “decent” sport in some parts of India.
The Young Flag Bearers Of Women’s Wrestling In India
Divya Kakran
Freestyle wrestler Divya has competed in both the 68kg and 69kg weight classes. She had a bronze-medal year in 2018, winning two bronze medals in the 68 kg division at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. In the 2017 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship, she won a gold medal. She looks like a potential wrestler at just 20 years old, one who will undoubtedly win gold in the future.
Sakshi Malik
This excellent wrestler is someone we all know. When Sakshi became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a bronze medal in the Olympics in the 58kg weight class, the news channels went crazy. When she was beaming and wearing the Indian flag as a cape, we all joined in the celebration.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, she recently took home a bronze medal. In the 62 kg class, she also took home a bronze medal from the 2018 Asian Wrestling Championship.
Ahlawat Sisters
Teenage icons The Ahlawat sisters, Mansi and Khushi, are relatively recent names in Indian women’s wrestling. They have triumphed in numerous state-level contests. Silver was earned by Mansi Ahlawat in the Junior Asian Championship, which took place in Delhi.
In the 57 kg weight class, she is also the national champion. Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik used to train in the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak, where they both train. We want to see these young wrestlers develop, flourish, and become well-known like Sakshi Malik.
Special Mentions
Sonika Kaliraman
The first female Indian wrestler to win the Bharat Kesri title at the 2001 Bharat Kesri Dangal tournament. She is also Chandgi Ram, a well-known wrestler’s daughter. In the Asian Women’s Wrestling Championship in 2000, she took home a gold medal.
Kiran Bishnoi
The 2017, Commonwealth Wrestling Championships won Gold by a freestyle wrestler, Kiran Bishnoi. In the 2018 Commonwealth Games, she also took home a bronze medal.
Women’s Wrestling In India: FAQ
Who are some of the notable female wrestlers from India?
Indian female wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Divya Kakran are a few of the well-known ones. These sportsmen have competed internationally on behalf of India and brought home medals.
How has women’s wrestling evolved in India over the years?
Since its start, women’s wrestling in India has advanced significantly. Better training facilities and more chances for female wrestlers are the results of the government and business sectors’ growing awareness and support of the sport.
What challenges do women wrestlers in India face?
There are still several obstacles that women wrestlers in India must overcome, including sexual harassment, a lack of money and resources, societal expectations and prejudices, and a lack of competitive possibilities.
How has the success of female wrestlers in India impacted society?
The rise in popularity of female wrestlers in India has benefited society by dispelling gender stereotypes and encouraging more young girls and women to choose sports as a vocation.
