“Fight like me,” beamed Sakshi Malik, as she threw light on her journey from Rohtak to Rio at an event in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Sakshi etched her name in history books after she became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in wrestling.
Things were always not easy for Sakshi, and she was criticised when she took up wrestling. However, she said she was happy with the love and respect she has received following the Rio Olympics.
“I had no doubt about winning a medal in Rio but I never expected such a reception back home.
“When I went there (to Brazil) I was alone, but now the entire country knows who I am,” said the 23-year-old Khel Ratna Award winner.
Sakshi also threw her weight behind those who want to take up sports.
“My family was always supportive of my decision to pursue wrestling, but I had to hear a lot from people and did not enjoy solid support from those outside the family. But now I will like to tell people to fight like me,” said the 23-year-old.
Research undertaken by the brand behind the event indicated that six in every 10 girls in India become less involved in sports activities on reaching puberty.
“Girls quit sports as our society taunts them. But my message for the girls would be to do what they want to,” said Sakshi.
Although Sakshi had proved that she enjoys the big stage with a Commonwealth Games silver medal in Glasgow 2014 and bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games in the same year, she shot to fame and became a household name following her breathtaking come-from-behind 8-5 win over Kyrgysztan’s Aisuluu Tynybekova in Rio.
As Sakshi and shuttler P.V. Sindhu garnered a lot of praise following their bronze and silver medal wins, the 19-member Indian contingent for the Rio Paralympics also impressed many, including Sakshi, with their four-medal haul.
Asked whether Indian Paralympians were neglected, Sakshi answered in the negative.
