Weightlifting Olympic medalist Karnam Malleswari, an inspiration behind the success of wrestling fame Phogat sisters

By Saurabh Duggal

Karnam Malleswari’s bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics lifted the status of female athletes in India. She became a torch bearer of the aspirations of the Indian women hoping big in the Olympics arena. Malleswari, who turned 46 on June 1, inspired women from the conservative society of backcountry Haryana to make it big on the international arena, especially in a male dominate sporting discipline.

The foundation of the success of the Phogat sisters, started with Malleswari’s bronze in the Sydney Olympics. Before that Coaching or introducing the family’s children, particularly girls, to wrestling was never on the horizon of Mahavir Singh Phogat, on whose life story movie Dangal was based and bollywood super star Amir Khan portrayed Mahavir’s role in the biopic.  

“Malleswari’s bronze in the Olympics was a driving force behind introducing the family girls into wrestling,” Dronacharya awardee coach Mahavir had said.

In Sydney Olympics, India won only one medal --- bronze. Andhra Pradesh born weightlifter Karnam Malleswari became the country's first woman to win an Olympic medal. Malleswari was married to weightlifter Rajesh Tyagi, who hails from the state and was staying in Faridabad. Later she settled in Yamunanagar. So, being the daughter-in-law of the state, she became eligible for the Haryana Government’s cash award of Rs 25 lakh.  

“It all began during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when the then Haryana Chief Minister announced a cash award of Rs 1 crore for any Haryana player who could win an Olympic gold. Malleswari won bronze and got Rs 25 lakh. So, with no taker of Rs 1 crore in the entire state I was little upset and took a pledge of producing an Olympic gold medalist one day,” said Mahavir. “With a mission of producing Olympic champion from Balali, I introduced all the family kids, including Geeta-Babita and their sisters --- Ritu, Sangeeta, Vinesh and Priyanka --- to wrestling.”

Geeta became India’s first woman wrestler to compete in the Olympics (2012 London), Babita and Vinesh were there in 2016 Rio Olympics. Now, in Tokyo, Vinesh is considered as strong medal contender.