From backyard akhara to Asian glory: Priyanshi's way to glory
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Lucknow: Priyanshi Prajapat, a wrestling gold medallist in the U-23 Asian Championship in Vietnam, has an inspiring journey that bears an uncanny resemblance to that of the Phogat sisters from Haryana.
She has so far won three international medals, including a bronze at the World Championship in Bulgaria and a silver at the Asian Championship in Jordan.
A trainee at NCOE Lucknow in the 50kg freestyle category, Priyanshi works in Uttar Pradesh Police. Her sister, also a wrestler, serves in the UP Police as well. Their father, a daily wage labourer in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, is a passionate wrestler who built a makeshift akhara in the backyard of their home and encouraged his daughters to take up the sport from an early age.
Sharing her wrestling journey with TOI, Priyanshi said, "I come from a family of three sisters and a brother, and we faced severe financial struggles as our father worked as a labourer. Nevertheless, he continuously supported both my sister and me. He initially coached my elder sister, and later, I continued my training at TT Nagar Stadium in Bhopal."
"I see about 80% resemblance to the storyline of the Bollywood movie Dangal," Priyanshi said, drawing parallels between her father's strict nature and the societal opposition they faced as girls in wrestling.
"At one point, I even expressed my unwillingness to wrestle, but my father persisted, and eventually, I adapted to the sport. My eldest sister now works as a nurse, while another sister and I began wrestling together in 2016.
Our younger brother has also taken up wrestling," she said.
Speaking about her future goals, she said, "I'm preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. My aim is to secure a spot on the Olympic team and win a medal.
I'm also targeting the 2026 Asian Games."
She credited SAI for providing outstanding facilities, including quality diet, world-class coaches, physiotherapists, and security. "In 2023, I secured a post with the UP Police and have been training at SAI for the last six months," she added.
Chief wrestling coach at NCOE Lucknow, Sahil Sharma, said, "I had set a goal of winning a medal, and with Priyanshi's dedication, we managed to achieve it.
When she arrived, she already had two international medals—a bronze and a silver—so we resolved to change the medal's colour, and we did. With the World Championship just a month away, we are aiming for another medal, followed by a focus on the 2026 Asian Games and the Olympics.
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SAI regional director Atma Prakash, said, "I congratulate both Priyanshi Prajapati and her coach Sahil. They've done a great job. It's a proud moment for SAI, Lucknow. We are always ready to provide every facility needed in every discipline."
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