We need better facilities: Sakshi Malik

In conversation with Olympian Sakshi Malik

yoshika

Yoshika Sangal | January 27, 2017 | New Delhi


#Interview   #Olympics   #On a personal note   #Sakshi Malik   #Sports   #Wrestling  


Sakshi Malik is the first Indian female wrestler to bag an Olympic medal. The 24-year-old comes from Mokhra village of  Rohtak, Haryana. She came into the limelight as an international wrestler after she won bronze in the Junior World Championship in  2010. Then, she went on to win silver in the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and a bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championships  in 2015. After Rio Olympics, Malik was conferred India’s highest sporting honour – the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. She is also the brand ambassador of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign in Haryana.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

It comes from my grandfather who was a wrestler himself. He used to sit with me and explain the sport very passionately. He taught me the rules and the techniques of wrestling and that got me interested in it. My training started when I was 12 and since then I have never looked back.

What’s the key to your success?

Focus. When I am under training, I don’t have anything on my mind except wrestling and that is what, I guess, results into my success.

Do you think films like Dangal will change the outlook towards women?

Films like these portray the glory in wrestling as a sport, which I believe is essential. They may not single-handedly be able to change the mindset of people but they sure do help largely in the whole process.

How do you feel about being the brand ambassador of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign?

It is a great honour. But it also puts a lot of pressure on me. On the other side, it gives me an opportunity to do something for the girls and women of our country.

Does the training of wrestlers in India meet international standards? If not, how can it be improved?

I think we will start getting better on facing more and more international competitors. Yes, there is a lot of room for improvement, but I am sure standards will improve on receiving more exposure from the world.

How can we increase Indian participation in international events like Olympics?

We need better facilities. For instance, when I started wrestling, there were no fans at my centre in Rohtak (Haryana). Now it has changed though. These things have to be dealt with if you want to make champions. Although things are changing, they need to be sustained. Corporates like JSW are investing in sports; leagues are coming up. We have to recognise and rectify the flaws in basic facilities for athletes – easy access to training centres, air-conditioning or cooling, proper equipment, proper nutrition, etc.

Is there anything that differentiates you from your contemporaries?

Each sportsperson is different and that’s the way they should all think.  Thinking that we are all one and the same is not very encouraging.

(The interview appears in the January 16-31, 2017 issue)

 

Comments

 

Other News

Oracle Adds AI Capabilities to Oracle Analytics Cloud

Oracle has showcased new AI-powered capabilities within Oracle Analytics Cloud. Leveraging the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Generative AI service, the new capabilities assist analytics self-service users to more quickly and efficiently conduct sophisticated analysis and make better business decisions

Domestic airlines show 38.27% growth in passenger numbers

The domestic aviation industry has witnessed a remarkable surge in passenger traffic during the first eight months of 2023. According to the latest data analysis, the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines from January to August 2023 reached an impressive 1190.62 lakhs, marking a substantial inc

MPs bid adieu to historic parliament building, step into new building

A function was organised in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India as the Members came together to bid adieu to the historical building before stepping into the New Building of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha sp

Real action, not words alone, needed to achieve UN agenda 2030: civil society

As politicians and policymakers make speeches at the United Nations during a high-level summit next week to assess the lack of progress on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), people’s leaders representing some of the world’s most marginalised communities have come toge

Fourth GPFI G20 meeting pledges to work for universal financial inclusion

The fourth G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) meeting held in Mumbai during September 14-16 concluded with members agreeing to work towards the vision of universal financial inclusion under the new G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan. Over the course of three days, discuss

Tales of Mother Nature, tales of ruin and of rejuvenation

Marginlands: Indian Landscape on the Brink By Arati Kumari-Rao Picador India, 256 pages, Rs 699 This monsoon, Him

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter