Eighteen-year-old Kajal Dhochak from Lath village in Haryana’s Sonipat district won a silver medal in the women’s 76kg freestyle category at the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. She became the first Indian woman to win a Senior World Championships medal in the heavyweight category, marking a significant milestone for Indian women’s wrestling.
Her achievement followed consecutive U20 World Championship titles in 2025 and 2026. Behind her rise are years of training, guidance from her uncle and coach Krishan Dhochak, and the support of her mother, Babita, who helped her practise during the COVID-19 lockdown. Her journey highlights the role of family encouragement, coaching and sustained opportunities in developing young sporting talent.
Family Support
Kajal’s wrestling journey began when she followed her elder brother to practice sessions with their uncle, Krishan Dhochak, a former international Greco-Roman wrestler. Recognising her interest, Krishan helped introduce her to the sport and guided her early training. What began as a young girl’s desire to join her brother gradually developed into a serious sporting ambition.
Her family, from Lath village in Haryana’s Sonipat district, played an important role in helping her pursue wrestling. Her father, Ravinder, works as a commercial driver, while her mother, Babita, is a homemaker. Krishan’s experience as a wrestler and his subsequent work in coaching gave Kajal guidance as she began developing her skills.
One of the most notable examples of her family’s involvement came during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. With training facilities closed and regular practice partners unavailable, Babita stepped onto the wrestling mat to help her daughter practise. She learnt wrestling movements alongside Kajal, helping her maintain training during a period when many athletes struggled to access facilities. The experience illustrates how family encouragement can help young athletes remain committed when external support systems are disrupted.
🥈SILVER FOR KAJAL DHOOCHAK! 🇮🇳🤼 18-year-old Kajal wins SILVER🥈in the Women’s 76kg at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships🔥 #WorldWrestlingChampionships https://t.co/Mwt9BjzuNR
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) October 28, 2026
Overcoming Challenges
As Kajal progressed, she moved beyond informal practice and began training seriously at Kuldeep Malik Sports Academy in Sonipat at the age of 14. She trained under coaches Kuldeep Malik and Ajay Malik, developing the physical conditioning, technical skills and match awareness needed for international competition.
Competing in the heavyweight category presents particular challenges, including the need for regular practice against opponents of comparable size and strength. The availability of suitable sparring partners can be limited, making structured training and access to competitive opportunities especially important.
Kajal’s progress through the youth categories required consistent preparation and adaptation as she faced increasingly experienced opponents. Her family remained involved in supporting her sporting commitments, while her coaches helped prepare her for competitions at national and international levels. Her journey also underscores the importance of reliable training facilities and long-term support for young wrestlers who aspire to compete at senior international level.
Junior World Champion
Kajal established her credentials through a series of international victories before reaching the senior World Championships podium. She won gold at the U15 Asian Championships in 2022, followed by another gold at the U17 Asian Championships in 2023. In 2024, she won the U17 World Championships, further establishing herself as a promising young heavyweight wrestler.
She continued that progress by winning the U20 World Championships in 2025 in the 72kg category. In 2026, she secured a second consecutive U20 world title, this time in the 76kg category. These achievements demonstrated her ability to compete successfully across age groups and weight categories as she moved towards senior competition.
Historic Senior Silver
At the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kajal carried her junior success into the senior arena. One of her most significant performances came in the semi-final against Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy. After trailing 1-7, Kajal mounted a comeback to win 10-7 and secure her place in the final.
She faced Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva in the gold-medal bout. The contest was level at 4-4 before Alpyeyeva scored a late four-point sequence. Kajal eventually lost 6-8, earning the silver medal.
The result made Kajal the first Indian woman to win a Senior World Championships medal in the heavyweight category. Her achievement also came in an edition in which fellow Indian wrestler Neelam Sirohi reached the final in the women’s 50kg category, marking the first time two Indian women reached the finals at the same edition of the senior World Championships.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Kajal Dhochak’s achievement shows how determination, family encouragement and experienced coaching can help young athletes reach the highest levels of international sport. Her mother’s willingness to practise with her during the lockdown and her uncle’s guidance demonstrate the value of standing beside young people as they pursue ambitious goals.
However, sporting success should not depend solely on a family’s ability to overcome gaps in facilities or resources. Better coaching, accessible training infrastructure and sustained support can help more young athletes, particularly girls, pursue their ambitions. How can families, communities and sporting institutions work together to give every aspiring athlete a fair chance to succeed?
Read More: 18-Year-Old Kajal Dhochak And Neelam Sirohi Make History With World Wrestling Championship Silvers
