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Vinesh Phogat, a gold medalist in both the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, returned her Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards on the pavement of Kartavya Path in New Delhi on December 30. Vinesh returned her awards as a protest against the treatment of female wrestlers in the country amid the controversy within the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vinesh expressed her disappointment with the recent developments, including the election of Sanjay Singh as the new WFI president. Singh is closely associated with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has faced accusations of sexually harassing female wrestlers.
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Vinesh attempted to leave her awards outside the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi, but police intervened at the Kartavya Path, prompting her to leave the awards on the pavement instead.
In her letter, Vinesh expressed her intention to return the Arjuna and Khel Ratna Awards, citing disappointment over the lack of justice for female wrestlers. Alongside other top wrestlers like Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, Vinesh had been part of prolonged protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Several female wrestlers had accused the former WFI chief of sexual harassment.
"I was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award, but they hold no meaning in my life anymore. Every woman wants to live life with respect. Therefore, Prime Minister, I want to return my Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to you so that these awards don't become a burden on us in the path of living with honour," she had written in her letter to the PM.
Notably, Bajrang Punia had returned his Padma Shri Award, placing it on the pavement of Kartavya Path earlier in the month as a symbolic protest. On the other hand, Sakshi Malik retired in December, expressing her dissent against the newly-elected WFI panel during a tearful press conference in the capital city.
"May this day not come in the life of any player. The women wrestlers of the country are going through the worst phase," Bajrang Punia said on Saturday, in a post on X, previously Twitter.
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