Manisha Bhanwala wins world wrestling gold, first Indian woman to do so

Manisha Bhanwala has made history by winning gold at the World Wrestling Championships. She is the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold at the championships.

In the final of the women's 59 kg category, Manisha faced Abigail Nette of the United States. She won the bout 8-6 to take the gold. India has won a world wrestling championship title after a wait of 16 years. There is joy across Indian wrestling after the win.

Manisha is from Jind in Haryana, and her family is in farming. There has long been a sporting tradition at home. Her brother Rinku is a kabaddi player, while her sister-in-law Mamta Sihag is also a wrestler. The atmosphere at home and the sporting culture of her village drew Manisha to wrestling.

In her career, Manisha has competed in different weight categories. She also fought in the 62 kg, 65 kg and 57 kg categories. Now, at the age of 29, she has achieved the biggest success in the world in the 59 kg category, which is not an Olympic event.

The hardest period of her life came with the death of her father. In 2022, the night before she was to leave for the Asian Wrestling Championships in Mongolia, her father Suresh died. Suresh had gone to a jagran, and the next morning he suffered a heart attack in his sleep. Manisha was completely broken by the shock. She did not even feel like leaving the house, and for some time she also thought of giving up wrestling.

Even so, her determination to fulfil her father's dream brought her back to the akhara. Even in difficult circumstances she kept up her practice and kept moving towards her goal.

After winning the final, Manisha proudly showed the crowd a white T-shirt bearing a picture of her parents. The moment was not only one athlete's victory but the emotional journey of a daughter who fulfilled her father's dream. Her success has given Indian wrestling a new identity, and she has shown that through struggle, determination and hard work, one can make a name in the world.