Vinesh Phogat is one of India’s greatest wrestling talents. She comes from a distinguished wrestling family. Her uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat introduced her to this sport at a young age and she followed the footsteps of her cousins Geeta and Babita Phogat to become a wrestler. She has won numerous medals at the world stage and made India proud at prestigious events like the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
The grappler celebrates her 28th birthday today, August 25. Phogat has become an inspiration for female athletes in India who challenge societal norms to follow their passion.
Awards and achievements
Vinesh Phogat won several medals in her junior career and went on to win her first major international gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
She won a bronze medal in the women's freestyle 48 kg category at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014.
She won gold medals in both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in 2018. She contested in the 50 kg category at the 2018 Asiad held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In 2019, she moved to the 53 kg category and won the bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships in the same year.
Vinesh Phogat has won one gold, three silver and four bronze medals overall in different editions of the Asian Championship.
She is the first Indian wrestler to win gold at both Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
Vinesh Phogat was the recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award and Major Dhyanchand Award in 2016 for exemplary performance in the field of sports.
