Manisha Bhanwala Inspires Future Generations of Indian Women Wrestlers
Historic Achievement at the Women's Wrestling World Championships
File image of Indian wrestler Manisha Bhanwala(Photo: @SVishnuReddy/X)
New Delhi, Oct 31: Manisha Bhanwala, who made history as India’s first female gold medalist at the senior World Wrestling Championships, hopes her success will inspire more women wrestlers in India to achieve greatness. The country celebrated its best-ever performance at the Women’s Wrestling World Championships 2026, securing four medals in total.
Manisha achieved a remarkable gold in the 59kg category on Friday and expressed her desire for her accomplishment to lead to more Indian women becoming world champions, making such victories a common occurrence in the sport.
“Records are meant to be surpassed, and I aspire for my record to be broken. I want to see more girls rise as world champions, so that Indian women wrestlers winning titles becomes a regular event. We also aim to set new records at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” she stated during a media interaction organized by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Saturday.
India secured fourth place in the medal tally with one gold, two silvers, and one bronze. Alongside Manisha's gold, Neelam Sirohi earned silver in the 50kg category, while Kajal Dhochak also took silver in the 76kg category. Tanu Sharma contributed to the medal count with a bronze in the 72kg category.
The nation finished fifth in the team rankings with 94 points, trailing behind the United States, Japan, China, and Ukraine. This four-medal achievement surpassed India’s previous best at the Women’s Wrestling World Championships, where it won two medals each in the 2012 and 2021 events. Notably, both of those championships occurred during Olympic years, which typically see lower participation and competition levels.
In addition to her personal success, Manisha offered encouragement to her fellow wrestlers, particularly Sirohi and Dhochak, advising them to stay resilient and not let setbacks at major competitions define their careers.
“I want to remind the girls that sometimes it just isn’t your day. For example, Kajal (Dhochak) faced one of those challenging days. Similarly, Neelam (Sirohi) was experiencing a high-pressure event for the first time. Perhaps there are greater opportunities ahead for them, and they should be patient. I have gone through similar experiences; I waited, and eventually, I achieved my goals. I encourage them to remain patient because better things are on the horizon,” she added.
Having faced her own challenges before reaching the top, Manisha believes that patience will be essential for the next generation of Indian women wrestlers as they aim to build on this historic performance.
Looking ahead, Manisha's next challenge will be to transition to the 57kg category from 59kg, preparing for the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.