Recognized as one of the best wrestlers to come out of India, Vinesh Phogat has a long history of wrestling.
With three gold medals from the Commonwealth Games, two bronze medals from the World Championships, and one gold medal from the Asian Games, Vinesh Phogat is a two-time Olympian. In 2021, she also won the title of Asian champion.
After being taught to wrestling at a young age by her uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat, Vinesh has followed in the footsteps of her cousins Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, becoming a member of one of the most prominent wrestling families in India.
Vinesh Phogat Quick Info
| Real Name | Vinesh Phogat |
| Nickname | Vinesh |
| Profession | Freestyle Wrestler |
| Date of Birth | 25th August, 1994 |
| Age (as in 2021) | 27 Years |
| Birth Place | Bhiwani district, Haryana, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Home Town | Bhiwani district, Haryana, India |
Family | Mother : Prem Lata Phogat Father : Rajpal Singh Phogat Sister : Priyanka Phogat Cousin Sister : Geeta Phogat, Babita Kumari Phogat and Ritu Phogat  Brother : Harvinder Phogat Husband : Somvir Rathee (m. 2018-Present)  |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Address | Bhiwani district, Haryana, India |
Additional Information
| Education | KCM Sr Sec SchoolMaharishi Dayanand University |
| Weight Category | 48 kg/ 50 kg/ 53 kg |
| International Debut | 2013 |
| Coach | Mahaveer Singh PhogatWoller Akos |
| Height | 160 cm (approx.) |
| Weight | 56 kg ( approx.) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
Educational Data
| School | KCM Sr Sec School Jhojhu Kalan, Haryana |
| College | MDU, Rohtak Haryana |
| Education Qualifications | Not Known |
Performance in Olympics
Vinesh qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics, but after reaching the quarterfinals, she lost to China’s Sun Yanan due to her knee injury.
Vinesh is aiming for the gold in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after a spectacular season with three gold medals in a row in 2021.
Education Details and More
| School | CM Senior Secondary School, Jhojnu Kalan |
| College | MDU Rothak |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate |
| Active Years | 2013-Present |
Vinesh Phogat – The Journey
Asian Wrestling Championships – 2013
- She beat Nanami Irie of Japan in the first round.
- Unfortunately, she lost to Tatyana Amanzhol of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals.
- As Tatyana Amanzhol went on to qualify for the finals, Vinesh got a chance to fight in the repechage round.
- She went on to win the bronze in the women’s freestyle 51 kg category by defeating Tho-Kaew Sriprapa of Thailand.
Commonwealth Wrestling Championships – 2013
- Vinesh participated in the freestyle 51 kg category in the wrestling championship.
- Unfortunately, she lost to Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria in the finals and had to be satisfied with a silver medal.
- Coming at an early stage of her wrestling career, this silver gave Vinesh a lot of confidence and motivation to win the gold, which she soon did.
Commonwealth Games 2014: Vinesh Phogat
- In the CWG 2014, held in Glasgow, Vinesh represented India in the women’s freestyle 48 kg category.
- She was very commanding in the quarterfinals and beat Rosemary Nwerke of Nigeria.
- In the semifinals, she ousted Jasmine Mian of Canada.
- The final obstacle for the coveted gold was Yana Rattigan of England. Despite her opponent being a favorite, Vinesh defeated her and won the gold.
- It was a proud moment for not only the Phogat family, or the people of Haryana, but also the entire nation!
Asian Games 2014
- Vinesh defeated Yongmi Pak from the People’s Republic of Korea in the top 16 round.
- It was Dauletbike Yakhshimuratova of Uzbekistan, who got easily ousted by our champion in the quarterfinals.
- At that moment her journey was cut short by Japan’s Eri Tosaka. However, Vinesh qualified for the bronze medal bout.
- She grabbed the opportunity to secure a medal by destroying her opponent, Narangerel Eredenesukh of Mongolia.
- Vinesh Phogat proudly came home with the bronze medal in the women’s freestyle 48 kg category.
The Olympics 2016 Heartbreak
- Vinesh qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics after beating Iwona Matkowska of Poland in the qualifying tournament held in Istanbul.
- The whole nation was excited to see its daughter in the world’s most prestigious sporting extravaganza.
- Unfortunately, her journey was cut short in the quarterfinals by a career-threatening knee injury.
- She has a dream of bringing home the first Olympic gold medal in wrestling was shattered at that very instant. However, her spirit remains intact and she has promised to bring the gold Olympics.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Vinesh Phogat
- Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal in at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and made the entire country proud! She achieved this incredible feat in the women’s 50 kg freestyle wrestling at the 21st edition of the games held in Gold Coast, Australia.
- Topped the standings at the end of the Nordic format.
- Showed technical superiority and beat Miesinnei Genesis of Nigeria and Rupinder Kaur of Australia.
- Eventually, it came down to just one opponent standing between her and the gold medal. It was Jessica MacDonald from Canada. The grappler got the best of her opponent and succeeded in bringing home the gold.
Vinesh Phogat at the Asian Games 2018
Vinesh went on to win the gold medal in the 50 kg wrestling event at the Asian Games after earning the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. As a result, she became the first Indian woman to accomplish the goal.
Vinesh Phogat: 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships
Vinesh defeated China’s Qianyu Pang, who had won the bronze medal at the World Championships, to win the bronze medal in the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships. She also defeated Russian Ekaterina Poleshchuk in the 2019 Yasar Dogu International to win gold.
Vinesh at Poland Open Wrestling Tournament
In the women’s 53 kg division, Vinesh Phogat won her third straight gold medal after taking first place in the 2019 Poland Open wrestling competition in Warsaw. A year later, at the 2021 Poland Open, Vinesh won the gold medal in the women’s 53 kg category once more.
2019 World Wrestling Championships
In the women’s 53 kg division, Vinesh Phogat won her first World Championship medal after overcoming Maria Prevolaraki in the bronze medal match. Vinesh’s top-six finish allowed him to become the first wrestler from India to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial tournament- 2021
In February 2021, Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal in the XXIV Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers & Coaches Memorial event in Kyiv, Ukraine, defeating Vanesa Kaladzinskay, the 2017 world champion.
Event of the 2021 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series
Vinesh Phogat won this event handily, taking first place in her division and earning the gold medal. Diana Mary Helen Weicker of Canada was defeated by Vinesh, 4-0.
Commonwealth Games 2022
In Birmingham, during the Commonwealth Games in 2022, Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal in the women’s 53 kg freestyle category. She became victorious from her final group match against Sri Lanka’s Chamodya Keshani Maduravalage.
2022 World Wrestling Championships
In the women’s 53kg division at the World Wrestling Championship 2022 in Belgrade, Vinesh took home the bronze medal. The first female wrestler from India to win two medals at the World Championship was Vinesh Phogat.
Achievements of Vinesh Phogat
- 2018 Asian Games, Jakarta – Gold
- Commonwealth Games 2018, Gold Coast, Australia – Gold
- 2018 Asian Championships, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – Silver
- 2017 Asian Championships, New Delhi, India – Silver
- 2016 Asian Championships, Bangkok, Thailand – Bronze
- 2015 Asian Championships, Doha, Qatar –Silver
- Commonwealth Games 2014, Glasgow, Scotland – Gold
- Asian Games 2014, Incheon, South Korea – Bronze
- Asian Championships 2013, New Delhi, India – Bronze
Vinesh Phogat and Wrestlers’ Protest
Wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, among others, made accusations in January 2023 that WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had been abusing women wrestlers sexually. The wrestlers had asked the Home Minister and the Prime Minister to step in and remove him. However, the objection was retracted following the establishment of an oversight committee to look into the issue. On April 23, though, the protestors resurrected their demonstration after seven female wrestlers—among them a minor—attempted to file a complaint against the organization, but the police declined to file a formal complaint.
But later, the Supreme Court’s ruling allowed the police to file two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the WFI chief. The POCSO Act was used to file the first formal complaint against him for sexual harassment of a child, and the other women wrestlers’ accusation formed the basis for the second FIR.
Achievements
| Events | Summary |
| Youth Wrestling Championship Johannesburg 2013 | Silver Medal |
| Asian Championships New Delhi 2013 | Bronze Medal |
| Asian Games Incheon 2014 | Bronze Medal |
| Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 | Gold Medal |
| Asian Championships Doha 2015 | Silver Medal |
| Asian Championships Bangkok 2016 | Bronze Medal |
| Asian Championships New Delhi 2017 | Silver Medal |
| Asian Championships Bishkek 2018 | Silver Medal |
| Asian Championships Xi’an 2019 | Bronze Medal |
| World Championships Nur-Sultan 2019 | Bronze Medal |
| Asian Championships New Delhi 2020 | Bronze Medal |
| Asian Championships Almaty 2021 | Gold Medal |
| Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018 | Gold Medal |
| Asian Games Jakarta 2018 | Gold Medal |
| Asian Wrestling Championships 2019 | Bronze Medal |
| Yasar Dogu International 2019 | Gold Medal |
| Poland Open Wrestling Tournament 2021 | Gold Medal |
| Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021 | Gold Medal |
| Commonwealth Games 2022 | Gold Medal |
| World Wrestling Championships 2022 | Bronze Medal |
Some Facts About Vinesh Phogat
- Vinesh Phogat was born and brought up in Bhiwani district, Haryana.
- Vinesh has become the First Indian Athlete to be Nominated for Laureus World Sports Awards to be held on February 18, 2019.
- In 2013, Commonwealth Wrestling Championships tournament held in Johannesburg, South Africa, Vinesh finished second and won the silver medal in the women’s freestyle 51 kg category, losing in the final round to Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria.
- She is the only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Tokyo Games.
- In January 2020, Phogat won gold in Rome Ranking Series, defeating Luisa Elizabeth Valverde
- At 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Vinesh won the bronze medal in the women’s freestyle 48 kg category.
- She won the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games and became first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in the Asian Games.
- Apart from wrestling she loves photography.
Awards
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna- Highest sports honour in India, winner in 2020 .
- Arjuna Award, winner in 2016.
- Padma Shri, nominee in 2018 by the Sports Authority of India.
Controversy
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat staged a sit-in protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) at Janter Mantar in New Delhi on January 18, 2023. She was the subject of debate.
Beloved things and Choices
| Actress | Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta and Priyanka Chopra |
| Movie | ABCD 2, Kal Ho Ya Na Ho, Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani, Jodha Akbar, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Hera Pheri |
| Actors | Salman Khan |
| Singer | Neha Kakkar |
Net worth
- Net Worth – $ 5 Million( Approximate)
- Income Source – Wrestling
Vinesh Phogat’s Record
- Youth Wrestling Championship Johannesburg 2013: Silver Medal
- Asian Championships New Delhi 2013: Bronze Medal
- Asian Games Incheon 2014: Bronze Medal
- Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014: Gold Medal
- Asian Championships Doha 2015: Silver Medal
- Asian Championships Bangkok 2016: Bronze Medal
- Asian Championships New Delhi 2017: Silver Medal
- Asian Championships Bishkek 2018: Silver Medal
- Asian Championships Xi’an 2019: Bronze Medal
- World Championships Nur-Sultan 2019: Bronze Medal
- Asian Championships New Delhi 2020: Bronze Medal
- Asian Championships Almaty 2021: Gold Medal
- Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018: Gold Medal
- Asian Games Jakarta 2018: Gold Medal
Vinesh Phogat Husband
The husband of Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat is named Vinesh. She made history as the first female wrestler from India to win gold in both the Asian and Commonwealth Games. The only female wrestler from India to win several medals at the World Wrestling Championships is Vinesh. In 2019, Vinesh became the first athlete from India to receive a nomination for the Laureus World Sports Awards.
Vinesh Phogat Married, Children
On December 13, 2018, Vinesh tied the knot with her longtime partner and competitive grappler, Somvir Rathee, from Bakhta Khera town in the Jind district. Somvir has won two gold medals in public titles. The pair met and fell in love while work with the Indian Railroads, where they both work, in or around 2011. Somvir and Vinesh approached each other. In a public competition, Somvir took home a decoration. As a young child, Somvir began wrestling in Kharkhoda, Sonipat.
Vinesh Phogat Children
We don’t currently have any information about Vinesh Childern, and there isn’t any information online either. As soon as we learn anything new regarding Vinesh Children, we’ll let you know.
Vinesh Phogat News
Vinesh Phogat returning my Khel Ratna and Arjuna award
The world championship medallist addressed the prime minister via social media in a new show of dissent regarding the federation (WFI) election. Two-time Olympian and double World Championship bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat declared on Tuesday that she is surrendering her Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards. To make her decision public, the 29-year-old wrote a note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social networking platform X.
Four days after bronze medallist Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri, Phogat made his announcement. Bronze medallist Sakshi Malik from the Rio Games announced her retirement on December 21, just hours after Sanjay Singh’s panel, backed by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, topped the WFI voting.
Four days have passed since bronze medallist Bajrang Punia of the Tokyo Olympics returned his Padma Shri. Hours after Sanjay Singh’s panel, backed by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, topped the WFI polls, bronze winner Sakshi Malik from the Rio Games announced her retirement on December 21.
“I am giving up my Arjuna Award and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna. Phogat wrote, “Many thanks to the powerful who put me in this situation.” The wrestler received the Khel Ratna, India’s greatest sports honor for athletes, in 2020 in addition to the Arjuna Award in 2016.
“Bajrang Punia has returned his Padma Shri, while Sakshi Malik has stepped down from wrestling. The reason the Olympic medallists had to do this is known to the entire nation, and you would have heard about it as well. “Mr. Prime Minister, I’m Vinesh Phogat, the daughter of your nation, and I’m writing to you to share with you my experiences over the past year,” she said.
I recall that the government appointed Sakshi Malik as a brand ambassador for the beti bachao beti padhao (save the girl child, educate the girl child) campaign in 2016, following her return from her Olympic victory. Every female wrestler was overjoyed. My thoughts return to 2016, now that Sakshi has been forced to give up on wrestling. Are female athletes just there to appear in government advertisements? Being in those advertisements doesn’t bother us since they convey the idea that your administration is genuinely interested in improving the lives of women. My aim was to represent my country by earning an Olympic medal, but that dream is getting farther and farther away these days. I hope the aspiring female wrestlers achieve their goals.
I recall that in 2016, following her Olympic medal victory, Sakshi Malik was appointed as a brand ambassador for the government’s beti bachao beti padhao (rescue the girl child, educate the girl child) initiative. The female wrestlers were all overjoyed. Sakshi’s forced retirement from wrestling makes me think of 2016. Are female athletes just there to appear in advertisements for the government? Since those advertisements convey the idea that your administration is genuinely committed to improving the lot of women, we don’t mind appearing in them. I used to dream of representing my country by winning an Olympic medal, but those days are fading. May the aspirations of the upcoming female wrestlers come true.
As far as Vinesh’s decision to return her awards is concerned, it’s none of my concern. It is her personal decision. I am hopeful that the sports ministry will reconsider its decision regarding WFI’s suspension,” he added.
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