Sakshi Malik Biography
Sakshi Malik was born on September 3, 1992, in Mokhra village of Haryana's Rohtak district to parents Sukhbir and Sudesh. Her father Sukhbir is a bus conductor in Delhi Transport Corporation.
In her childhood, she tried playing kabaddi and cricket but wrestling became her favourite sport after she started "winning bouts". But little did she and her parents know at that time that one day she would become the first woman wrestler from the country to win an Olympic medal.
She came into lime light from Rio Olympics 2016. She is the first of among 120 - 125 indians brought a bronze medal to India. India acquired its first medal of the 2016 Summer Olympics. Sakshi Malik was the one to do it for the country, whose athletic contingent has thus far flattered to deceive in Brazil, by capturing the bronze medal (through Repechage) in the 58-kg category of Women’s Freestyle Wrestling. After losing the Quarterfinal to eventual finalist Koblova Zholobowa, Sakshi went on to win the Repêchage against Mongolia’s Orkhon Purevdorj, and then Kyrgyzstan’s Aisuluu Tynybekova.
The medal is rendered all the more significant in that it was won after Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi’s wrestling peer in the 48-kg category, was forced to retire hurt early into her Semifinal bout after a promising display, earlier on Wednesday.
Sakshi Malik scripted history by becoming the first woman wrestler from India to bag an Olympic medal and only fourth female athlete from the country to climb to the podium at the biggest sporting event in the world. Overall, Sakshi has won India’s fifth wrestling medal in the Olympic Games. It is India’s 25th medal in Olympic Games.
The 23-year-old from Mokhra village began her training in wrestling as a 12-year-old under the guidance of Ishwar Dahiya at an akhara in the Chotu Ram stadium. Her grooming was helped along by having to fight a lot of boys, in a region where the sport was ‘not for girls’. In fact, Dahiya faced protests from locals when he took Sakshi under his wing.
Malik is currently employed with Indian Railways in the commercial department of its Delhi division, in Northern Railway zone. After her bronze medal win at Rio, she was promoted from senior clerk to gazetted officer rank.
Published: N/A
Updated: August 20, 2016