Amir Khan-starer Dangal which is based on the true life story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, has become a inspiration for so many people.
Most of us want to know more about Mahavir Singh Phogat a proud father of Dhaakad Daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari.
Who is Mahavir Singh Phogat
Mahavir Singh Phogat is an Indian amateur wrestler and senior Olympics coach.
He was awarded with Dronacharya Award by the Government of India. He is the father and coach of Geeta Phogat, who won India’s first gold medal in women’s wrestling in the 55 kg freestyle category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and the first Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Olympics, and Babita Kumari, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships,and won the gold medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games. Phogat’s niece, Vinesh Phogat, is also Commonwealth Games gold medalist.
Phogat was born into a Hindu Jat family in Bhiwani district, Haryana. He is married to Daya Shobha Kaur and has 4 daughters, Geeta, Babita, Ritu and Sangita. He looks after his nieces Vinesh and Priyanka, children of his brother who was killed in a dispute of land. All the 6 Phogats are trained in wrestling by Mahavir. While Geeta, Babita and Vinesh are international players, Ritu has won a gold medal at the national championship and Priyanka and Sangita have won medals in age-level international championships.
Journey From Being a father to Become a coach
Mahavir Singh Phogat had a dream of becoming an international Wrestler, but as he could not achieve this, He wanted his daughters to complete his dream.
According, to the book, ‘Akhada: The Authorized Biography of Mahavir Singh Phogat’, it was his wife who wanted a boy,she was not happy after finding that her first born is a girl, contrary to what is shown in Dangal.
Mahavir Singh Phogat started to train his daughters when they were very young. At that time, Geeta was 12 yrs old . According to the book the girls used to spent most of their time in the akhada, getting training to become a wrestler.
His mantra was hardships and according to him failures only make a person stronger and there are no shortcuts when it comes to training.
He always stick to this basic formula: Train as hard as you can.
When he was not in akhada, Mahavir use to be very cheerful and love to play with his children like any normal father will do. But once in the akhada, he will transform into a strict coach.
Its all the Hardship and dedication that paid
Mahavir’s daughters had to go through all the hard training routines. It was he who wanted to ensure that his pupils got the best training so that they can make it to international level in wrestling.
He never gave a dam,what others are thinking about him.
As we know dedication and hardship never go in vain, and same happened here.
We can just imagine his Happiness and proud, when he is the coach and father of Geeta Phogat, who won India’s first gold medal in women’s wrestling in the 55 kg freestyle category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and the first Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Olympics, and Babita Kumari, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships,and won the gold medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games.