The Rohtak Academy Which Lets Women Train and Gave Us Sakshi Malik

Sakshi Malik has been training at Sir Chhotu Ram Stadium for the last 13 years.

The Wrestling Academy in Rohtak where Sakshi trained for 12 years. (Photo: The Quint/Hardeep Singh)

Chhotu Ram Stadium Wrestling Academy in Rohtak opened its doors to women in 2003. Before that, it was a men-only centre. In the same year, 13-year-old Sakshi Malik set foot in the academy with her dream of becoming a wrestler. And since then, it has been her training ground.

Ishwar Singh Dahiya, the then coach, received a lot of flak for making boys and girls wrestle together.Today, this academy has given India its first Olympic medallist in women’s wrestling and over 31 women international female wrestlers.

Cameraperson: Sanjoy Deb
Editor: Kunal Mehra