Despite having just four years of mat wrestling experience and little exposure to major tournaments, Vaishnavi displayed remarkable tactical sense and defensive skills that belied her limited background in the sport.
For most Indian wrestlers, the transition from junior to senior level involves competing in local events, followed by appearances in Asian tournaments, before graduating to senior-level international competitions and the World Championships. Vaishnavi, however, has accelerated through this path rapidly after starting relatively late.
The 22-year-old, whose father owns a dhaba in Kalyan near Mumbai, has swiftly climbed the ranks to become one of the top contenders in the country.
“I started mat wrestling around the end of 2020. Before that I was doing only mud wrestling. When I saw Sakshi Malik win that medal in 2016 Rio, I decided what I needed to do, I just wanted to pursue this sport,” Vaishnavi told PTI after defeating Muskan 7-2 in the final.
“My father runs a dhaba and my mother is a housewife. My parents are managing everything for me. There weren’t many good academies in Maharashtra, so I shifted to Hisar,” she added, mentioning her coach Jasbeer at the Sushil Kumar Akhada.Vaishnavi looks up to American wrestling icon Helen Maroulis, who has an Olympic gold, bronze medals from Tokyo and Paris, and seven World Championship medals to her name.”She is an amazing wrestler. I watch her bouts on YouTube. I want to do well for myself and for the country. I am confident of winning a medal at the Worlds and eventually I want to win an Olympic medal.”
Coach Jasbeer credited her commitment and the decision to limit her visits home as crucial to her recent growth.
“She used to stay here for two-three months in Hisar and go back to her native place for two months. I told her parents that she needs to be at the training centre for one year. They agreed and she is a very dedicated wrestler, and the result is there,” he told PTI.
“She is very disciplined, she works very hard. We have good wrestlers at our centre and practicing with them has also helped her. She is technically sound and her counter-attacks are pretty good.”
Interestingly, before wrestling, Vaishnavi was a competitive swimmer, having secured two medals at the state level. Her passion for wrestling was sparked when she attended a felicitation event for wrestlers and witnessed the admiration they received.
Her father, Dilip Patil, recalled how her childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot shifted due to a medical limitation.
“When she was in class IX, she said she wanted to become a fighter pilot and serve the country. We searched for training centres, but realising that her eyesight number was 9.7, we knew she wouldn’t make it.
“We put her in swimming and one day she said she wants to change the sport. The centres were far away in Kolaba, Sangli, Satara and we did not want to send her too far. But seeing her passion, we introduced her to Jasbeer sir and sent her to Hisar.”
Vaishnavi’s mother initially accompanied her to Hisar to help her adjust. The family has sacrificed greatly to support her dream.
“I run a dhaba near the bus stop in our village and all our earning go into her training. My bank balance is zero. I manage my house with some income from farming but all the dhaba earning is transferred to Vaishnavi.
“She showed promise quite early. During her first competition, without much training she won a silver in the junior state competition and then won back-to-back gold. We speak to her only once, on Sunday, as she is not allowed to keep a mobile phone by the coaches at the akhada,” said Patil.
Living in Haryana meant adapting to a new lifestyle and culture, but Vaishnavi embraced the changes wholeheartedly.
“Most people do not eat non-vegetarian food in Haryana. They rely more on milk, curd, all these things. Ghee, almonds, and all dairy products have been added to my diet, though I continue to take non-veg food. I now understand Haryanvi as well,” said Vaishnavi with a big smile.
[With PTI inputs]
