Indians salute Sakshi Malik for Rio Olympics bronze

Delhi - Wrestler Sakshi Malik ended India's medal drought in Rio with a bronze medal in the 58kg freestyle wrestling on Thursday.

By Web report

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Published: Thu 18 Aug 2016, 8:45 AM

Last updated: Fri 19 Aug 2016, 3:24 PM

Celebrations took place at the home of Sakshi Malik on Thursday in Haryana's Rohtak town after the gritty wrestler brought India its first medal in the ongoing Rio Olympics by winning a bronze.
For a state (Haryana) which has the worst sex ratio among all the states in the country (879 females against 1,000 males as per the 2011 census) and known for female foeticide, Sakshi has overcome a double barrier -- getting a medal for the country and being the first woman in the wrestling field to do so.
In Pictures: Sakshi Malik gets India's first medal in Rio Olympic 2016
Neighbours, relatives, friends, fellow wrestlers, coaches, political leaders and many other people started converging on Sakshia's home here after she clinched the bronze medal in Rio.

WATCH: Moment when #SakshiMalik 's family saw their daughter end India's medal drought at the Rio Olympics pic.twitter.com/mkGcx6LwQg
- ANI (@ANI_news) August 17, 2016

"We are elated at her feat. She had promised me that she will get a medal for the country. She has done the country and us proud," a visibly happy Sudesh Malik, Sakshi's mother said.

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Who is Sakshi Malik?
Born: September 3, 1992. Rohatak, Haryana
Parents: Sudesh and Sukhbir
Height: 5 feet 3 inches
Freestyle wrestling
Started career in 2002. This year made her Olympics debut in Brazil
Major achievements
Olympics 2016 Bronze
2016: Bronze at the Spanish Grand Prix
2014: Silver in Glasgow Commonwealth Games
2014: Bronze at Incheon Asian Games 2014
2015: Bronze in Asian Championships in Doha, Qatar
2014: Represented India at Wrestling World Championship in Tashkent

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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to Sakshi's parents, Sukhbir and Sudesh Malik, on phone and congratulated them.
Sakshi will get a reward of Rs 3 crore from the Haryana government for her feat.

Weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari (2000, Sydney), boxer MC Mary Kom (2012, London) and shuttler Saina Nehwal (2012, London) were the only other women players from India to have won a medal in Olympics.
Here is how twitter reacted to Sakshi's win:
Modi congratulates Sakshi Malik: 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated wrestler Sakshi Malik who clinched bronze on Wednesday to give India its first medal at the on going Olympics in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro.

Sakshi Malik creates history! Congratulations to her for the Bronze. The entire nation is rejoicing.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 18, 2016

 

Admirable preparation by wrestler Sakshi Malik for the Rio Olympics. My best wishes are with her. pic.twitter.com/PZjbhmNEsz
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2016

In another tweet, the prime minister said:

On this very auspicious day of Raksha Bandhan, Sakshi Malik, a daughter of India, wins a Bronze & makes all of us very proud. #Rio2016
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 18, 2016

Meanwhile, President Pranab Mukherjee in a tweet said:

Hearty Congratulations to #SakshiMalik for winning a medal in women's wrestling in #Rio2016 and doing India proud #PresidentMukherjee
- President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) August 18, 2016

What great news to wake up to! #SakshiMalik, your resilience at #Rio2016 has made whole of India proud. Many Congratulations!!!
- sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 18, 2016

Congrats #SakshiMalik on winning #wrestling bronze at the #Rio2016 She has created history & made the country proud. pic.twitter.com/ARwEoA20bb
- Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) August 18, 2016

Great comeback by Sakshi Malik 2 win our 1st medal in Rio.determination and self belief r the key for a performance like this.congratulation
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) August 18, 2016

She has done what no Indian girl has done before. A real hero #SakshiMalik u have set a path 4 many more 2 follow u https://t.co/dDsE4XzXhb
- Sushil Kumar (@WrestlerSushil) August 18, 2016

Congratulations Sakshi Malik. U have made the whole nation proud. https://t.co/ynuDlF15RX
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 18, 2016

What a sweet win for India! On the Rakshabandhan diwas Congratulations #SakshiMalik from all of us.
- Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 18, 2016

A medal! And a first for a woman wrestler! Hopefully, the first of many. Congratulations to the tough #SakshiMalik
- Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 18, 2016

Here comes the first!Thank you & congratulations #SakshiMalik!You're the reason for a billion smiles today?? #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/k0ZA1mxL2e
- Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 18, 2016

The innocent smile of achievement and our smile is of immense pride.....#SakshiMalik is the hope for the future.... pic.twitter.com/WTdJ1yZ43k
- Karan Johar (@karanjohar) August 18, 2016

@kaifsays proud of india
- Ashok haldar (@Ashokhaldar6) August 18, 2016

congratulations #SakshiMalik .entire nation is rejoicing on your achievement.thank you.
- Manoj Bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) August 18, 2016

#SakshiMalik is a reminder of what cn happn if u don't kill a girl child.When d going gets tough,its our girls who get going &save our pride
- Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 18, 2016

#SakshiMalik is a reminder of what cn happn if u don't kill a girl child.When d going gets tough,its our girls who get going &save our pride
- Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 18, 2016

You did it #SakshiMalik, congratulations on winning & a brilliant performance @Olympics #Rio2016 !
- Lt. Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) August 18, 2016

#SakshiMalik #Rio2016 crazy amazing ????
- Samantha Ruth Prabhu (@Samanthaprabhu2) August 18, 2016

....and another moment!!!!
Supergirl Sakshi!#Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/vopOkCgmGY
- Boman Irani (@bomanirani) August 17, 2016

#SakshiMalik has made India proud.Wrestling in India gets another big boost.#Rio2016
- Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) August 17, 2016

Congratulations to #SakshiMalik on winning Bronze. Thank you for giving us a moment of joy and pride. pic.twitter.com/922WF959wy
- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 18, 2016

Well done #SakshiMalik on your achievement! Proud of you! #Rio2016
- Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) August 17, 2016

power of women .. respect honor and dignity .. and no discrimination https://t.co/YczeTxebFB
- Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) August 18, 2016

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