‘Dipa was fabulous, I was crestfallen when she missed medal by a whisker’
ROHTAK: Overshadowed by famous Phogat sisters till the Rio Olympics, wrestler Sakshi Malik has suddenly become the new sports icon for Haryana by bagging the first medal for the country earlier this month. She returned to a warm welcome right from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport up to her native Mokhra village in Rohtak. Tired, jet-lagged and sleepy, she sits in drawing room at her house, as she does not want to disappoint thousands of children coming in to meet her to click selfies and take autographs. Taking time out off her visitors, she speaks to HT. Excerpts:
You have been pronounced the brand ambassador of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme. How do you intend to work for the cause?
First of all, I’m thankful to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for such a big honour. I intend to add ‘Beti Khilao’ to the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign.
What facilities do you expect from the government for budding sportspersons?
I think government provides a lot of facilities. We have sports nurseries and academies where children are trained for free. And when we show our output by winning tournaments, the government extends more help to take us to next level and provides better training.
Whose performance in the Indian contingent at Rio did you like the most?
Without a doubt Dipa Karmakar’s. She was breathtakingly fabulous. I was heartbroken when she did’t win a medal, but she earned respect from across the world. As a person, too, she’s pleasant and loveable to talk to.