Vinesh Phogat blessed with a baby boy

Decorated wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat stepped into a new chapter of her life on Tuesday with the birth of her first child. The 30-year-old Congress MLA from Haryana gave birth to a baby boy at a private hospital in Delhi, her family confirmed.

Vinesh and her husband, fellow wrestler Somvir Rathee, became proud parents on Tuesday morning. The couple had earlier announced their pregnancy through a heartfelt social media post, captioned: “Our love story continues with a new chapter.”

Vinesh, who had a decorated sporting career with multiple Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medals, retired from wrestling last year after a heart-breaking disqualification at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Competing in the 50kg women’s category, she was ruled out for being marginally overweight at the final weigh-in — despite desperate last-minute efforts to shed weight.

“It was the biggest wound of my life,” Vinesh had said, describing the incident that brought an abrupt end to her wrestling journey.

After retirement, she entered politics and successfully contested the Haryana Assembly elections from Julana constituency in Jind district. She joined the Congress in September last year and has since become an active political voice.

Vinesh was also among the most prominent faces in the wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced allegations of sexual harassment from several women wrestlers.

Her love story with Somvir Rathee began during their time with the Indian Railways, where both were employed. The couple tied the knot in 2018. After her gold-winning performance at the Jakarta Asian Games, Rathee famously proposed to Vinesh at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, holding a ring in his hands as she arrived from Indonesia.

As news of her baby’s birth spread, congratulatory messages poured in from wrestling fans and political leaders alike. Senior Congress leader Kumari Selja posted on X: “Hearty congratulations and best wishes… I pray the newborn brings happiness and good health to the family.”