Sangwan khap to honour Rohtak girl

Sat Singh

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, August 18

The Sangwan khap will honour Rohtak wrestler Sakshi Malik for winning the Olympic bronze medal (through repechage) in the 58-kg category of women’s freestyle wrestling.

They called Sakshi “pride of the state” and hoped that another wrestler Babita Phogat from Bhiwani would fetch another medal for the country.

“We were dismayed on Wednesday night after medal hopeful Vinesh Phogat from Bhiwani’s Balali village was stretchered off after suffering a knee injury in a quarter-final bout. But we woke up with the news of Sakshi bagging the bronze medal,” said Col (retd) Rishal Singh, president of the khap.

Om Prakash Mann, spokesperson for the Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat, said: “Sakshi has proved that girls are no less than boys in any field. She has done the country proud at an international platform. The khap will honour her during a gathering in Bhiwani.”

He credited the state government for Sakshi’s victory. “The prize money announced by the government will boost the morale of girls to take up sports as their career.”

Santosh Dahiya, chief of the khap’s women’s wing, demanded Rs5 crore and the post of DSP for Sakshi.