She was born on August 25, 1994, in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri to her parents, Rajpal Phogat, who was the brother of Mahavir Singh Phogat. As per reports, after the demise of Rajpal Phogat, it was Mahavir Phogat, who adopted Vinesh and trained her to become a wrestler just like his daughters, Geeta Phogat, Babita Phogat, Ritu Phogat, and Sangeeta Phogat.
For the unversed, Vinesh Phogat is the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold medals at two major international competitions, 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2018 Asian Games. For her incredible contribution to Indian wrestling in the last 10 years, Vinesh has been bestowed with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2020), the Arjuna Award (2016), and the Padma Shri Award (2018).
Personal Life
Vinesh Phogat’s run at the Paris 2024 Olympics came to a heartbreaking end on August 7, 2024, when she was disqualified due to the weight issue. As per the Economic Times, Vinesh Phogat’s weight was reportedly 100 grams higher than the permissible weight limit in the 50 kg category. She was all set to fight against American wrestler, Sarah Hildebrandt for the gold medal. However, to everyone’s heartbreak, Vinesh was disqualified from the competition, which ended her chance to become the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
Biography
| Name | Vinesh Phogat |
| Birthdate | 25 August 1994 |
| Achievements | First Indian woman wrestler to win gold at both the Commonwealth and Asian Games |
| Only Indian woman wrestler to win multiple medals at the World Wrestling Championships | |
| First Indian athlete to be nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards in 2019 | |
| Family Background | One of the Phogat sisters who won international wrestlers and Commonwealth Games medalists |
| Protest Leadership | Leader of the 2023 Indian wrestlers’ protest against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, held in January and April 2023 |
Career
Vinesh Phogat has represented India in many international games and actively participated in bringing changes within the nation as well.
| Year | Event | Medal | Location |
| 2013 | Asian Wrestling Championships | Bronze | New Delhi, India |
| 2013 | Commonwealth Wrestling Championships | Silver | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| 2014 | Commonwealth Games | Gold | Glasgow, Scotland |
| 2014 | Asian Games | Bronze | Incheon, South Korea |
| 2015 | Asian Championships | Silver | Doha, Qatar |
| 2016 | Summer Olympics | 10th Rank | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold | Gold Coast, Australia |
| 2018 | Asian Games | Gold | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| 2019 | Asian Wrestling Championships | Bronze | Xi’an, China |
| 2019 | Yasar Dogu International | Gold | Istanbul, Turkey |
| 2019 | Poland Open | Gold | Warsaw, Poland |
| 2019 | World Wrestling Championships | Bronze | Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan |
| 2020 | Rome Ranking Series | Gold | Rome, Italy |
| 2021 | Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial | Gold | Kiev, Ukraine |
| 2021 | Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series | Gold | Rome, Italy |
| 2021 | Poland Open | Gold | Warsaw, Poland |
| 2021 | Summer Olympics | 9th Rank | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2022 | Commonwealth Games | Gold | Birmingham, England |
| 2022 | World Wrestling Championships | Bronze | Belgrade, Serbia |
| 2024 | Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament | – | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
Vinesh Phogat and the Wrestling Protest
Vinesh Phogat has been an active part of India-wide protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
- January 2023: Vinesh Phogat led a protest with other wrestlers against sexual harassment allegations against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
- Government Response: The government promised an oversight committee, leading to the protest’s temporary end.
- April 2023: Protest resumed as the government was perceived to be inactive. She claimed harassment, torture, and threats after reporting the issue to Prime Minister Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
Awards and Honours
Here are the total awards and honours won by Vinesh Phogat along with the year.
| Awards/Honors | Year |
| Arjuna Award | 2016 |
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | 2020 |
| Commonwealth Games Gold Medal | 2014, 2018 |
| Asian Games Gold Medal | 2018 |
| Asian Wrestling Championships (Gold) | 2021 |
| World Wrestling Championships (Bronze) | 2019, 2022 |
| Padma Shri | 2020 |
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Net Worth
Vinesh Phogat has an estimated net worth of INR 3.65 crore. Her income consists of her wrestling career, brand endorsements and a salary from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Phogat receives a monthly salary of Rs 50,000 from the ministry.
Physical Appearence
| Height | 159 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 53.1 kg (117 lb) |
Social Media
| YouTube | YouTube |