With a large number of men and women from her native village of Balali and the neighbouring areas in Haryana thronging the Indira Gandhi International Airport dancing to the drum beats, and raising slogans — ”Dal Bhati Churma, Hamari Behan Surma” and “Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega, Vinesh Tera Naam Rahega” — emotional looking wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being around 100 gm overweight after reaching the 50 kg final, returned to India on Saturday (August 17, 2024).
Phogat had to stay back in Paris as she had made an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a joint silver medal, but it was later dismissed.
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Several Khap leaders, including Palam 360 Khap chief Surender Solanki from Delhi, and Congress’ Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, along with Olympic wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik were in attendance to welcome her. The Haryana Khaps had earlier announced that they would welcome her like a gold medallist on her return to the country.
Travelling on top of a Sports Utility Vehicle flanked by Mr. Hooda and Bajrang Punia, the 29-year-old woman grappler, dressed in tattered denims and striped shirt, could be seen sobbing and wiping off her tears as she waved to the crowd and responded with folded hands to the swarm of television journalists clamouring for her initial reaction.
She finally broke her silence to say that she was “grateful to the people of the country for the warm welcome”.
With by-standers dotting the airport road on both sides for her glimpse, she leaned forward to shook hands with the youth and bowed down to take blessings of the elderly even as her vehicle, which was part of a large cavalcade including Delhi Police vehicles and media teams, stopped several times navigating through the large crowd before hitting the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway.
The cavalcade is scheduled to halt at over half-a-dozen places on its way to her native village in Charki Dadri, which is around three hours drive from the national Capital.
Her brother Harvinder, who along with his sons and fellow villagers, had reached the airport, said that he was “overwhelmed” to see the people turning up in such large numbers, adding that a myriad of emotions of pain, zeal and a sense of pride were flowing through him.
Referring to her protests against then Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Mr. Punia said her journey from “road to podium” was there before everyone. “She is a champion and that’s why she is being welcomed like a champion,” quipped Mr. Punia, who had also stood by her during during the Delhi protests.
Olympic Bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik described her return as a “big day” saying that Ms. Phogat had done a commendable job for the country and the women. “It doesn’t matter if she did not get the medal. She is a champion for us,” remarked Ms. Malik.
The Haryana Chief Minister has also announced to offer her prize money and facilities on par with a silver Olympic medallist.
Ms. Phogat, in a two-page post on his social media platform, “X”, on Friday had hinted that she could reconsider her decision to quit wrestling saying that “I could see myself playing till 2032”.
Published - August 17, 2024 11:32 am IST
