South Korean first lady invites Phogat family over tea today

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9

The Phogat family — wrestler sisters Geeta and Babita Phogat and their parents Daya Kaur and Mahavir Phogat — will meet South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook on Tuesday on her invitation to the family over tea.

Mahavir Phogat confirmed that the family’s meeting with the South Korean first lady has been fixed for 2.30 pm on Tuesday in Delhi.

He added that his nephew Rahul and some other kin could also accompany them to Delhi for the tea.

Phogat family has been in the limelight ever since Aamir Khan’s movie Dangal based on wrestling exploits of Geeta and Babita Phogat and their father’s resolve to see his daughters excel in male bastion was released in December 2016.

Despite passage of over one-and-a-half year of the release, Phogat sisters continue to rule the hearts of millions of their fans in India and abroad.

According to sources, Kim Jung-sook watched the film ahead of her current visit to India with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and interacted with Indian students.

The movie is said to have moved her and she expressed the desire to meet the Phogat family.

Mahavir Phogat said that the entire family was excited about their meeting with South Korean first lady and he was very happy that Dangal based on them was helping strengthen relations between the two countries.

Mahavir Phogat shot to fame after he trained his daughters to wrestle and represent India at the world stage. His daughters, Geeta and Babita, defied all odds to make it to the top of what is thought to be a male-dominated game, especially in a state like Haryana.

Impressed by the family’s struggle, Aamir Khan produced Dangal based on the family with Aamir himself playing the lead role of Mahavir Phogat.