India's first female Olympic wrestler wins 6-year-long 'dangal', appointed DSP in Haryana Police

After a long 'dangal' with the Haryana state administration, 27-year-old international wrestler Geeta Phogat has been appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Geeta had won India's first ever gold medal in women's wrestling in the 55 kg freestyle category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She was also the first female wrestler from India to qualify for the Olympics.

In 2012 , Geeta was the lone wrestler to represent India at the London Olympics. Interestingly, this year, her sisters— Babita and Vinesh — have helped raised the number to three, the maximum berths allowed. Babita and Geeta are the daughters of Olympian Mahavir Singh Phogat, while Vinesh is his niece. The story of how he trained them to become wrestlers is chronicled in Aamir Khan’s Dangal, scheduled for release this year.

Geeta has waited for her appointment as DSP for six years. She was selected for appointment as Inspector in Haryana Police under the sports quota in 2010, the year she defeated Emily Bensted from Australia to win the 55 kg category wrestling at the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi. Dissatisfied by the neglect she receieved despite the victory, she had appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court to be given a post at par with her achievements.

Geeta had to wait for six long years while many other players, mostly men, who had won medals at the Commonwealth Games, including Vikas Krishan, Paramjit Samota, Ramesh Kumar and Ravinder Sangwan, were all appointed DSPs. “A player puts all her efforts in winning medals and a decision like this means financial security for us. I wish such things do not happen to other gold medal winners in future CWG or Asian Games,” Geeta told The Indian Express.

Geeta was finally appointed DSP this Tuesday. The State Cabinet also approved the proposal of the Home Department to appoint Mountaineer Ram Lal as Sub Inspector in the Haryana Police Department against sports quota, according to a PTI release.

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