The Saving Grace

Indiaʼs first medal winner in Rio olympics.

- Vijayan Bala

Days were passing by with India not having won a medal in the Rio Olympics. It was then that the 23-year-old Sakshi Malik who was representing India in the 58 kg. category women's freestyle wrestling event picked up a bronze medal – India's first at Rio - by her sheer courage, determination and fighting spirit. Sakshi also became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a medal in the Olympics. She is the fourth Indian woman to win a medal in the Olympics with badminton star P.V. Sindhu winning a silver soon after Sakshi's bronze. WOMAN'S ERA met Sakshi, also a holder of a Master's Degree in Physical Education, at her residence at Rohtak soon after her return from Rio.

Who inspired you to take to wrestling?

I was inspired by my grandfather Chaudhary Badlu Ram who was a wrestler himself.

How did your parents support you in your desire to become a top-class wrestler?

Girls were not thought well of if they took to wrestling as it was generally regarded a male sport. In fact, only in 2002, we girls were allowed into the sport in Haryana. Society objected to my participating in the sport but not only was I determined, my parents too, totally backed me. I never gave up sport despite my mother fearing that my face would spoil and some of my relatives taunting me.

When did you take to wrestling in a proper manner?

When I was 12 years old. I joined the akhara in Chotu Ram Stadium, Rohtak, where Ishwar Singh Dahiya– a 12 time Bharat Kesari used to coach aspiring wrestlers. After a few months of training my coach made me practise and fight with the boys because I seemed too strong for the other girls. Fortunately, I was able to make the boys struggle too. Ishwar sir, taught me a lot and was my coach till 2009 i.e. for 5 to 6 years. Mandeep then became my coach and he still helps me.