Real life Dangal: All I see is an Olympics gold

Hansaben Rathore – aka Mahi – of Depalpur in Madhya Pradesh talks of her foray into wrestling and the personal sacrifices she has to make to succeed, in her own words.

I was born in Depalpur, a small town in Madhya Pradesh. 

Our family has a long-standing love for wrestling – starting from our grandfather, an avid wrestler.

My father, Anil, too was into pahalwani (wrestling), but he couldn’t progress much in the sport.

It was on us – me and my brother Mahesh – to fulfil the unrealised dreams of our father.

He would often take us to places to watch wrestling. 

We went to Delhi too in 2012 to watch a bout. It was then that the wrestling bug caught us. 

It wasn’t easy though for us. 

There were social restrictions. When I started, I had to wrestle with boys. 

Not everyone, including some of our family members, was pleased. But Papa remained undeterred. 

We didn’t have the financial resources as well.

But undaunted, our father one day took us to our farmland. He laid out the tirpal – plastic canvas – and covered it over with fodder.

That was our very first wrestling mat. Our training began.

I’m called Mahi at home. He looked me in the eye and said, “Mahi, you have five years to prove yourself. That’s it.” 

I notched up my first victory within a year.

Every time I go into a bout, I look at my father. He gives me the strength to do well.

Then the tide began to turn. 

My first victory united the village. They all were proud.

In December, 2020, my mother passed away. Life became infinitely more difficult.

I pay my obeisance before I leave for practice.

I won a silver medal in a competition on her birthday. That was the best tribute I could give her.

I then got admitted into the Inspire Institute of Sports. 

I walked in and saw Olympians Neeraj Chopra, Sushil Kumar and Sangeeta Phogat. 

Sushil Kumar started training us. He complimented on my footwork and gave special emphasis on training me on my defence. I got trained by Phogat as well. 

My dreams were coming true.

I cleared the international trials for under-17 World Championship in 2021 to be held in Hungary. I secured the seventh position in the competition.

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Like any other girl, I love paani-puri, rasmalai and kaju katli. 

I liked to keep my hair long. But I couldn’t have any of it. The goal I had set for myself demanded personal sacrifices. 

In March 2021, I won the bronze in the under-17 open nationals. After winning the medal, I wanted to take a photo with my father. He said a big ‘No’.

“You have to become the best,” he sternly reminded me. He reminded me to train harder.

Olympic gold medal winner Yandro Quintana of Cuba is my coach.

My life so far has somewhat followed the script of Aamir Khan starrer Dangal. The struggles of his two daughters in the movie to become top wrestlers mirror mine. 

My journey is incomplete though.

For the time being, all I see is a gold medal at the Olympics in 2028.

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