Know About The Phogat Family Tree - India's Wrestling Gems
Jan 15, 2025, 21:13 IST
The Phogat family of Haryana, India, has raised the Indian wrestling profile significantly, especially concerning the participation of women in wrestling. From the guidance of the father figure Mahavir Singh Phogat, his daughters and nieces have not only entered mat wrestling competitions and have won many titles but also defied norms and encouraged many.
Mahavir Singh Phogat: The Visionary Coach
Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former wrestler from Balali village in Haryana, was a path-breaking coach who trained women wrestlers. He started training his daughters and nieces after watching weightlifter Karnam Malleswari lift silver in the Olympics in 2000, though the practice was frowned upon. They showed commitment and built a basis for wrestling the family lineage of the family.
The Phogat Sisters: The pioneers in women’s wrestling
The Phogat sisters include:
•Geeta Phogat: Geeta, born on 15-Dec-88, triumphed to become the first Indian women wrestler to clinch a gold medal in Commonwealth Games 2010 in 55kg category wrestling.
•Babita Kumari: Babita, born on 20 July 1989, bagged a silver medal in the year 2010 Commonwealth Games and later won gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the 55kg category.
•Ritu Phogat: Ritu was born on 02 May 1994, the Indian wrestler won a gold medal at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in the 48kg category before switching to MMA.
•Sangeeta Phogat: Sangeeta hurdles’s birthday is 5th Mar, ch 1998 and like her cousin sister, she also started wrestling on the global platform for India.
Extended Family Achievements
Mahavir also coached his nieces:
•Vinesh Phogat: Vinesh Phogat was born on August 25, 1994; he claimed gold medals in both the 48kg category at the 2014 and 50kg at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
•Priyanka Phogat: May 12/1993 Priyanka won a silver medal in the Asian Wrestling Championship 2017 in 55kg.
Culture and the Media
The success story of the Phogat family was brought to big screens through the biographical sports drama film Dangal, released in the year 2016, which consisted of Mahavir’s strong zeal to make his daughters wrestle despite all the turbulence. This representation got much awareness of their talents and accomplishments while showcasing the inflexible policies on gender equity in squads.
Conclusion
The success of the Phogat family has been central to changing the overall fabric of women wrestling in independent India. They set an example for a generation of female wrestlers who wish to pave the way for a change in gender role stereotyping in the country and help popularize wrestling in India.
