Sakshi Malik, The Top Indian Female Wrestler, Quits Wrestling

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 22-12-2023

Sakshi Malik, The Top Indian Female Wrestler, Quits Wrestling

Person in News 4 min read

Sakshi Malik (31 years old), a top Indian female wrestler, announced her retirement on 21 December 2023. Sakshi Malik was the bronze medallist in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Sakshi Malik's major international sporting achievements:

Year	Tournament	Medal
2014	Glasgow, Scotland Commonwealth Games	Silver
2016	Rio Olympics	Bronze
2018	Queensland, Australia Commonwealth Games	Bronze
2022	Birmingham, Commonwealth Games	Gold

About Sakshi Malik:

Sakshi Malik was born on 3 September 1992 in Rohtak district of Haryana. Sakshi Malik won a silver medal in 59 kg freestyle at the 2009 Asian Junior World Championships at the age of only 17.
After this, she won a bronze medal in the 2010 World Junior Championship.
She won a bronze medal in the 2013 Commonwealth Championships.
Sakshi Malik participated in her first Commonwealth Games in 2014 in Glasgow and won a silver medal in the 58 kg final.
Sakshi Malik initially started her wrestling career under the guidance of Geeta Phogat.
Sakshi Malik is married to fellow Indian wrestler Satyavrat Kadian. Satyavrat Kadian is a bronze medallist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. Satyavrat Kadian, resident of Rohtak, Haryana, has also been the 2016 Commonwealth Champion.

India's first female wrestler to receive an Olympic medal:

Sakshi Malik qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics and won a bronze medal in her Olympic debut.
Sakshi Malik's medal was India's first Olympic medal won by a female wrestler.

Received six medals at the Senior Asian Championships:

Sakshi Malik has won a total of six medals at the Senior Asian Championships during her career. This includes three silver and three bronze medals.
Sakshi Malik last participated in the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. In this, Sakshi Malik won the gold medal in the women's 62 kg category.

Reason for Sakshi Malik's retirement:

Sakshi Malik had been protesting for the last several months for the removal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh from the post.
But in December 2023, when Sanjay Singh, who was close to Brij Bhushan Singh, was elected as the new President of the Indian Wrestling Association, Malik announced her retirement from wrestling.
Sanjay Singh has served as joint secretary of the executive committee of WFI. Sanjay Singh has been appointed President of WFI after defeating Anita Sheoran.