‘MY VILLAGE WILL GET BETTER OPPORTUNITIES’

Ravi Kumar Dahiya hopes his Olympic silver will drive change

Ravi Kumar Dahiya etched his name in history as the second Indian wrestler to win a silver medal, at the Tokyo Olympics. The 23year-old, who finished second in 57kg freestyle wrestling, became only the sixth athlete in India’s sporting history to win a silver at the Olympics. “Thoda disappointed hoon kyunki gold hee chahiye tha, but khush bhi hoon,” he says.

Dahiya’s journey, from Nahari village in Haryana to Tokyo, is an inspiring one, for which he credits his father. “When I was training in Delhi, my father would travel a long distance each day to bring me fruits and milk. He did this for years. He is a farmer and though we are settled now, and woh aaram kar sakte hain, I won’t ask him to give up farming,” he says. The Haryana government announced ₹4 crore, a government job and a plot at a concessional rate for Dahiya. But right now all he wants is to get home to his family.

“Time bohot nahi hai, training bhi karni hai, but I plan to head home and spend some time with my family and eat good food, because

I’ve been away for so long,” Dahiya says, adding he will also go to Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi to meet his coach Satpal Singh.

His medal will also lift the spirits of his village, which eagerly awaits his return. An indoor wrestling stadium will now be built in Nahari. “It is great news, Nahari has sent athletes to the Olympics in the past. I’m glad youngsters will get more opportunities to train,” he says. The two-time Asian champion is now targeting the Paris Olympics, 2024. “This experience will help me bring gold the next time. Tab tak mehnat nahi rukegi,” Dahiya adds.