Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Suparna Sharma

At Olympics, India’s top women wrestlers have more at stake than medals

Vinesh Phogat of India wins against Laura Ganikyzy of Kazakhstan in the 50kg women's wrestling semifinal at the Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan [Kadir Caliskan/United World Wrestling/Getty Images]

Rohtak, India – On a hot summer afternoon, a strapping, fit man in his 30s drove his SUV to the outskirts of the crowded city of Rohtak in the northern Indian state of Haryana. Peeling off the main road, he braked at a large white metal gate of a sports stadium. The gate hadn’t been opened in years and the stadium looked empty. It was the only place he felt safe, he said, to meet and talk.

“You can’t use my name, and you can’t use hers,” the man, wearing a loose grey T-shirt, black basketball shorts and slippers, said.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.