Vinesh Phogat and the Phogat Sisters:
On Tuesday (August 6), Vinesh Phogat defeated Cuban wrestler Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 in the semi-finals of the women's 50kg freestyle event. Vinesh will compete for the gold medal on Wednesday (August 7), giving her a golden opportunity to win it. By making it to the finals, Vinesh has already secured a medal for India.
The Phogat family, from which Vinesh hails, is famous for its wrestling achievements. The story of Vinesh's uncle and coach, Mahavir Phogat, was depicted in the film 'Dangal.' Mahavir Phogat has been honored with the Dronacharya Award by the Indian government for his coaching contributions.
The Phogat sisters include Geeta, Babita, Priyanka, Ritu, Vinesh, and Sangeeta. Geeta, Babita, Ritu, and Sangeeta are the daughters of former wrestler and coach Mahavir Singh Phogat. Priyanka and Vinesh were also raised by Mahavir after Vinesh lost her father, Rajpal, at the age of 9.
Mahavir Phogat trained all six sisters in wrestling in their village of Balali in Bhiwani district. Three of the sisters, Geeta, Babita, and Vinesh, have won gold medals in various weight categories at the Commonwealth Games, while Priyanka won a silver medal at the Asian Championships. Ritu is a national champion and Sangeeta has won medals at age-level international championships.
Geeta Phogat Made History First:
Geeta made history in 2010 when she won the gold medal in the women's 55kg category at the Commonwealth Games. This was the first gold medal for a female Indian wrestler at the Commonwealth Games. Her younger sister, Babita, won a silver medal in the 51kg category at the same games.
Two years later, Geeta became the first Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympics in the 55kg category at the London 2012 Olympics. She lost to three-time Olympic medalist Tonya Verbeek in the round of 16 and was defeated again in the repechage round for the bronze medal. However, a few months later, Geeta won her first World Championship medal in the 55kg category. Babita also won a bronze medal in the 51kg category at the 2012 Women's World Championships. These were the only two medals won by India at that championships.
In early 2014, Geeta had surgery for a torn ligament in her right knee and was out of the sport for over a year. Injuries have plagued her career ever since, preventing her from consistently competing.
Babita's Medal Wins:
Babita won the gold medal in the 55kg category at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal in the 53kg category at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019 but continued to be a professional wrestler.
Geeta and Babita's younger sisters, Ritu and Sangeeta, have also represented India at international levels. Ritu won gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Championships and a bronze medal at the 2017 Asian Championships. She has since focused on mixed martial arts (MMA). The youngest sister, Sangeeta, is a wrestler who has represented India in various competitions. She is married to Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Bajrang Punia.
Vinesh Phogat as the Family's Torchbearer:
From the outset, Vinesh has carried the weight of her family's surname, but she has responded brilliantly, especially in the Paris Olympics. As a World Championship bronze medalist and gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Asian Championships, Vinesh is one of the most successful Indian wrestlers. Although her Olympic performances have been disappointing, she is now on the brink of winning an Olympic medal. In the Rio 2016 Olympics, she had to withdraw from the women's 48kg freestyle quarter-finals due to a severe knee injury. In the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she was once again considered a favorite in the women's 53kg quarter-finals but was defeated.
How the Phogat Sisters Became Pioneers:
Mahavir Singh Phogat, an amateur wrestler from Balali village in Haryana's Bhiwani district, later became a wrestling coach. His father, Man Singh, was also a wrestler. Mahavir and his wife, Daya Kaur, have five children: daughters Geeta, Babita, Ritu, and Sangeeta, and one son, Dushyant. Following his brother Rajpal's death, Mahavir also raised his brother's daughters, Priyanka and Vinesh.
Mahavir's journey to making his daughters wrestlers was depicted in the film 'Dangal.' The inspiration first came when Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in 2000. Mahavir was also influenced by his coach Chandgi Ram, who had trained his daughters in wrestling. In an interview, Mahavir's wife, Daya Kaur, said, 'I told my husband not to push the girls into this sport. I was worried about how they would get married as wrestlers wearing shorts and having their hair cut.'
Regarding the opposition from villagers about training his daughters as wrestlers, Mahavir said in an old interview, 'Everyone said I was disgracing my village by training my girls, but I thought, if a woman can be the Prime Minister of the country, why can't she be a wrestler?' Due to the lack of wrestling facilities in their village, Mahavir's daughters had to wrestle against boys. Later, he got Geeta and Babita admitted to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) center in Sonepat.
Sakshi won Bronze in Rio 2016:
Wrestling has been included in the Olympics since its inception in 1896. However, women's wrestling was included in the Olympics in 2004. Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Now, Vinesh has made history by reaching the finals.
