Hansi, August 22: Young Indian wrestler Tanu Sharma has achieved a significant milestone by winning a silver medal at the Under-20 World Wrestling Championship. Her victory has brought immense joy to her family and village. Hailing from Bhaklana village in Haryana, Tanu secured this achievement in the 72-kilogram category during the championship held in Slovakia.
In the finals, she faced Japan’s Chisato Yoshida and lost 5-3, narrowly missing out on the gold medal. After her victory, Sharma dedicated the medal to her village and country, promising to aim for gold next time. Speaking to the media, she expressed, “I am from Bhaklana village in Haryana. I am thrilled to have won a medal for my country at the Under-20 World Championship.”
Following her win, she expressed gratitude to God, stating, “First of all, I want to thank God for this achievement. I am also grateful to my family for their unwavering support throughout my journey. I thank the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for believing in me. This medal is not just mine; it represents the honor of my entire country and village. I may have missed the gold medal this time, but I will definitely win it next time and bring more pride to my nation.”
Tanu’s achievement has filled her family and close friends with immense happiness. They celebrated by sharing sweets, and her parents expressed their pride in her accomplishments. Tanu’s father, Virender Shastri, shared, “She has had a keen interest in sports since childhood. She used to play with her cousins and would outshine all the children her age.”
He further mentioned that Tanu’s uncle, Narendra Sharma, encouraged her to pursue wrestling. Recognizing her talent, her retired army uncle motivated her to excel in the sport. Virender also shared how he enrolled Tanu in coach Sanjay Sia’s academy, which later led to her admission at the SAI Sports Academy in Hisar. He recounted an interesting incident where, despite winning multiple medals at the Khelo India events, Tanu refused a grand welcome, stating she would only accept one after winning an international medal.
Virender added, “She won a bronze medal at the Khelo India Youth Games in Bhopal and another bronze at the Khelo India University Games in Nagaland. Following that, she won a gold medal at the Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai, which gave her a new boost. The villagers wanted to celebrate her, but Tanu insisted, ‘This is not a big medal; welcome me when I bring home an international prize.’”
Seeing her daughter win a medal in Slovakia, her mother, Suman Lata, was also overjoyed. She told us, “I am very happy. Everyone in the village is delighted.” When asked what she fed her daughter, Lata replied, “I gave her milk and yogurt. I also provided her with juice and almonds. She ate well. The entire village supports her. Everyone is saying they will welcome her. This girl (Tanu Sharma) has brought honor to our village.”
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