Vinesh Phogat has returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award, saying that her medals are not worth Rs 15. He is dearer to them than life. Here we are telling how much the wrestlers have struggled to reach here.
The controversy that started a year ago in the Wrestling Federation of India is still going on. On Tuesday, women wrestler Vinesh Phogat returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award. While returning the award, he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In this letter, he wrote that his medals were not worth 15 rupees. He is dearer to them than life. Vinesh was opposing the statement of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, which he gave in the month of May this year
Wrestlers were supposed to throw medals in the Ganges River as a protest this year. However, he was later stopped from doing so. The wrestlers had also talked about returning their medals. After this incident, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had said in a conversation with a YouTube channel that the medal that the wrestlers are returning is worth only Rs 15. If they have to return anything, then return the cash awards worth crores which have been given to them by the government.
There was a lot of ruckus on this statement of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Now once again Vinesh Phogat has mentioned this. Here we are telling how the wrestlers leading the protest against Brij Bhushan Singh have struggled to get these medals.
Bajrang Punia
Bajrang inherited wrestling. His father Balwan Poonia was a famous wrestler of his time. But poverty came in the way. Even the diet required for wrestling would be lacking. The father’s unfulfilled dream started floating in the dreams of his son Bajrang. The only goal of his life was to bring a medal for the country. But money became a hindrance here too. The father did not have the money to feed ghee to the son. After saving the bus fare, his father had now started cycling. Whatever money he saved, he used to spend on his son’s diet.
Going through such circumstances, Bajrang illuminated the name of the country in the world of wrestling. Later, Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt caught the eye of Bajrang, in whose arena Bajrang trains under his supervision.
Vinesh Phogat
Born on August 24, 1994, Vinesh is the niece of Dronacharya Award winner Mahavir Phogat and cousin of international wrestler Geeta Phogat-Babita Phogat. Mahavir Phogat’s brother Rajpal (Vinesh’s father) died in an accident. After this, Mahavir Phogat adopted Vinesh and her sister Priyank with his daughters and trained in wrestling. He first participated in the Asian Wrestling Championship in 2013. Here he won the bronze medal in the 51 kg category. After this, there was no looking back. A film called Dangal has also been made in Bollywood on the life of her sisters.
Sakshi Malik
Sakshi Malik was born on 3 September 1992 in Mokhra village of Rohtak district of Haryana. Her grandfather Subir Malik was a wrestler, inspired by whom Sakshi decided to make a career in wrestling in childhood. At the age of just 12, Sakshi started taking training from Ishwar Dahiya. In 2009, Sakshi participated in the Asian Junior World Championships and won a silver medal in the 59 kg category in freestyle.
The next year won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2010, and a bronze medal at the 2013 Commonwealth Championships. At the Rio Olympics 2016, Sakshi Malik created history by winning the bronze medal in the 58 kg category in just 10 seconds and became the first female wrestler from the country to do so.
Satyavrat Kadian
Satyavrat inherited wrestling. Father Arjuna Awardee Satyawan Kadian has given a name and a special identity to the country in the Olympics and wanted Satyavrat to follow in his footsteps. Due to this, at a very young age, Satyavan started going to the arena by holding his father’s finger. Satyawart was trained by his father as a coach. Taught wrestling tricks and prepared himself for the free-style heavyweight category. Later, 6 feet tall, Satyawart made his mark in the 97 to 100 kg weight category.
Sangeeta Phogat
Sangeeta is Mahavir Phogat’s third daughter. Dangal film was made on his elder sisters Geeta and Babita. Sangeeta’s struggle was easy after the success of Geeta and Babita. However, like the elder sisters, the pressure of gaining international recognition is not easy for any child. However, Sangeeta is also a strong resolve like her elder sisters and she too has done wonders at the international level many times. Even amid the demonstration, he won a medal for the country. She is also the wife of Bajrang Punia. In such a situation, their struggle against the wrestling association is more difficult.
Wrestlers opposing Brij Bhushan Singh’s camp have won more than 60 medals for the country
Bajrang Punia – 23 medals Sakshi Malik – 13 medals Vinesh Phogat – 15 medals Satyavrat Kadian – 8 medals Sangeeta Phogat – 1 medal
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