By A Correspondent
Patna: Rutuja Gurav was just eight years old when her father—a labourer by profession and a sports enthusiast—took her to a wrestling academy nearly two kilometres from their village, Panchgaon, in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district.
For the first six months, the young girl hesitated to embrace the sport. But true inspiration struck when her father showed her the Aamir Khan film Dangal, based on wrestling and inspired by the life of the Phogat sisters. Since then, there’s been no looking back for Rutuja.
Over the past eight years, Rutuja has dedicated herself entirely to the sport, with her father, Santosh Gurav, standing firmly by her side. Wherever Rutuja competes, her father is always present, cheering her on from the sidelines—even though he has limited technical knowledge of the game. His constant presence by the mat has been a source of strength for her.
Rutuja began her medal journey with a gold at the Junior Nationals in 2021, a title she successfully defended in 2022. In 2023, she won a silver medal at the Nationals and clinched another gold at the School Games the same year. Last year, she made her international debut by winning a silver medal at the Junior Asian Championship in Thailand.
Despite these accolades, life at home remains modest. Santosh, who earns around ₹15,000 a month, relies on his wife’s ₹6,000 salary from her job at a grocery store to support their family of four. Rutuja’s elder sister is a law student.
Participating in her first Khelo India Youth Games, the slightly over five-foot-tall Rutuja was confident of a podium finish. For Santosh, however, a medal at the 2025 Khelo India Youth Games in Bihar could mean crucial financial assistance for his young wrestler daughter.
“Sometimes it’s hard to run the household—there are so many expenses. I usually work 12-hour shifts, sometimes even overtime, to earn a little extra,” he said. “But I make sure never to miss any of her competitions, which means there’s no income on those days. The Khelo India scholarship scheme is a blessing. It will allow our daughter to fully focus on her training. It will also help with her nutrition and equipment.”
On Wednesday, 16-year-old Rutuja proved why she is one of the brightest prospects in Indian wrestling. She began her under-17 girls’ 46kg campaign with an impressive 3-1 win over Delhi’s Khushi, followed by a 4-0 semi-final victory over Bihar’s Rupa Kumari. In the final, she faced a stiff challenge from Haryana’s Annu, but held her composure to take the lead in the closing moments and win 3-1, clinching the gold.
Delhi’s Khushi and Rajasthan’s Kashish Gurjar had to settle for bronze in this category.
Rutuja’s victory is not just a personal achievement—it is a symbol of unwavering family faith, dreams built through patience and perseverance, and triumph over hardship.
