From child bride and teenage mother to representing India internationally: A wrestler's inspiring story

Everything life threw at her couldn’t stop Neetu achieveing her dream (Image couresty of Hindustan Times)

Imagine being married at an age when your only concerns should be getting homework despite spending as much time as possible with your friends. That too, to someone more than thrice your age, whose mental faculties are underdeveloped. That is what wrestler Neetu had to brave on her way to realizing her dream of becoming a wrestler, according to a story by HindustanTimes.

Defying all those around her, Neetu called it quits and walked out on the third day. But she was cruelly taught about the primitiveness of Indian society, when she was married for a second time soon after and became a mother at 14. Despite the knock-back, the young lady nursed hope that one day she would represent her country on the international wrestling stage.

That hope would fuel her into starting to wrestle seriously at 17. Undeterred by the misogynistic village elders who wouldn’t let her enter the male-dominated “akharas” (gymnasiums), the young lady from Rohtak put in the hard yards and earned her reward in the form of a medal in the national senior category. Not easily satisfied, Neetu strove on and lived her dream of wrestling for India on a global level, when she made it to the Junior World Championships in Brazil in August this year.

Needless to say, her path was filled with pitfalls. Penury forced her to take up odd jobs like working in a shop and tilling land. The success she has had hasn’t completely given her a clear path, as she still does a six-hour commute to train at the Chotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak city.

Speaking on her difficult past, Neetu said, “Since childhood, I had a fascination for sport but my family didn’t allow me to visit the stadium. Things went awry, and pursuing wrestling didn’t arise. Sanjay (her second husband) came as a saviour as he accepted me despite my past.”

The indomitable wrestler added, “Becoming a mother at 14 and the family’s financial condition didn’t allow me to think about sport for the next few years. I started in 2011, and in 2014, I won my first medal in the Nationals.” She hoped her ambitions would provide an end to her family’s pitiable financial state.

From being a pariah a few years ago, Neetu’s success and spirit are celebrated in her home village. She was given a hero’s welcome on her return from this year’s National Championships, with a silver medal draped around her neck. Testament to this is her husband, Sanjay’s proud remark that their village has gained recognition only because of his wife’s success.