Phogat Family and story of phogat sisters
The tale of Phogat sisters defeating the gender barrier, female foeticide and child marriage in Haryana has become a media sensation. There are six Phogat sisters who are breaking down the gates of dangals across the country: Geeta, Babita, Ritu, Vinesh, Priyanka and Sangita. Vinesh and Priyanka are the daughter’s Mahavir’s brother whom he adopted after his death. The story of Geeta along with her sisters’ through the patriarchal and regressive surroundings in Haryana’s Balali village is nothing less than inspiring though. They were trained by their father. The girls started spending time in the muddy arena from the very young age
Mahavir Singh Phogat
He was born in a Jaat family in Haryana’s Balali village. His father was a wrestler too. He became the recipient of Dronacharya Award by the Government of India in 2016.During the 80’s he made a name for himself by winning many wrestling bouts. He took his training from Padmashree Chandgi Ram. Mahavir got married to Daya Kaur. He had 4 daughters from this marriage. Mahavir trained all his daughters in wrestling.
He was inspired by Karnam Malleshwari, the winner of 2000. She was the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. His mind flashed with the thought of her victory and realized why can’t his daughters win too. He was deeply impressed by his guru Chandgi Ram who himself had taught his daughters wrestling
The first arena in India where women were allowed to wrestle was Delhi’s Chandgi Ram arena. This made him wake up and take notice. His guru motivated him to work for his daughters. He quit his job in Haryana State electricity board. And started training his daughters. Mahavir used to make them run in fields and even built a small wrestling arena near his house. But a problem arises in him that no other girls were wrestling. So his girls Geetha and Babita started training with boys. After all his efforts he tried to get his daughters to the Sports Authority of India in Sonipat for advanced training. It is said that he is very strict in his training.
Geeta Phogat
Geeta Phogat is a freestyle wrestler. She was born on 15 December in Balali village of Haryana. She is the daughter of famous wrestler Mahavir Phogat. He is her coach and mentor. She got married to a famous wrestler Pawan Kumar. Geetha won her first victory at the 2009 Punjab Commonwealth wrestling championship. The turning point to her career was in 2010 when she became the first Indian women wrestler to win a gold medal in the Commonwealth games 55Kg category. Her father provided high quality gym and training.
In October 2016, she became the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Haryana. In 2019 Geeta Phogat with her husband Pawan Kumar participated in Star Plus show “Nach Baliye” season 9. She loves to travel and likes running.
Babitha Kumari
Babitha Phogat was born on November 20, 1989 in Haryana. She studied in MDU College, Rohtak, Haryana. in 2009 Babita won the gold medal in the women’s freestyle 51kg category in Jalandhar, Punjab. In 2010, Babita won the silver medal in the women’s freestyle 51 kg category after being defeated by Ifeoma Christi Nwoye of Nigeria. In 2011, she won the gold medal in the women’s freestyle 48 kg category in Melbourne, Australia. She won in the women;s freestyle 51 kg category by beating Zamira Rakhmanova of Russia in 2012.
She became popular after winning a gold at the 2014 commonwealth games.
Ritu Phogat
Ritu Phogat fights in the 48kg category, like her sister Vinesh Phogat. The 22-year-old Ritu has won silver and bronze at the World Juniors and gold at the Junior Asian Championships.
Vinesh Phogat
She is a freestyle wrestler born on 25 August 1994. Vinesh was born to Rajpal Singh Phogat and mother Premlata Phogat. She is married to a wrestler named Somvir Rathee in 2018. Mahavir Singh Phogat adopted Vinesh Phogat. Mahavir adopted Vinesh and Priyanka after their father’s demise. Vinesh comes from a positive background of wrestling with her cousin Geeta and Babita Phogat, both international wrestlers and Commonwealth gold medallist.
Priyanka Phogat
Priyanka Phogat was born 12 May 1993. She is an Indian female wrestler who won a silver medal at the 2016 Asian Wrestling Championships. Vinesh Phogat, Commonwealth Games gold medalist wrestler is her sister. She is the niece of Dronacharya recipient Mahavir Phogat. In 2015, Phogat achieved a ₹7 lakh contract with the Punjab franchise of the Pro Wrestling League.
In February 2016, she won the silver medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bangkok in the 55 kg category. She was beaten in the gold medal bout by Mongolia’s Davaasükhiin.
Sangeeta Phogat
Sangeeta Phogat is the youngest of the Phogat sisters. Her father and coach Mahavir Singh Phogat had trained Sangeeta. She is an Indian wrestler and fights in the 59 kg freestyle category. Unlike her other sisters she hasn’t much in her account. Phogat showcased amazing sportsmanship during the Pro Wrestling League matches. Sangeeta has achieved a silver medal at the National Championships. Sangeeta Phogat got married to the wrestler Bajrang Punia on November 25.
On 23 December 2016 the movie Dangal released in India. It was based on the lives of Phogat sisters with Mahavir, Geeta and Babita as its key characters. Wrestler Pooja Dhanda was auditioned and originally opted to act the role of Babita Phogat in Dangal. But she was not able to play due to an injury. Later she went on to beat senior Phogat sister Geeta in the real life national championship.
