India’s Kajal Dochak emerged victorious at the U20 World Wrestling Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria, winning the gold medal in the women’s 72kg category with an 8-6 victory over China’s Yuqi Liu.
Shruti (50kg) and Saarika (53kg) added to India’s medal tally by clinching bronze medals, helping India finish as runners-up in the women’s team event behind Japan.
The competition ran from August 17 to 24, with India’s contingent earning seven medals across categories. Wrestling officials credited the success to the athletes’ resilience, robust training, and an evolving support system aimed at nurturing young talent.
Kajal Dochak’s Inspiring Journey to Gold
Seventeen-year-old Kajal Dochak, a wrestler from Haryana, demonstrated exceptional skill and grit throughout the tournament. She had earlier won the 2024 Cadet World Championship and 2025 U20 Asian Championship in her category, making her victory in Bulgaria a continuation of her rise on the international stage.
Kajal fought a tough final against the Chinese wrestler Yuqi Liu, maintaining a lead and holding her composure despite Liu’s comeback attempts to win 8-6.
Notably, Kajal battled through the event with fever, a testament to her mental toughness and physical endurance. Her uncle, Krishan Dochak, a former international wrestler, shared that Kajal’s natural aptitude for leg attacks and aggressive defence has been nurtured by dedicated coaches in Sonepat.
Other Indian medalists Shruti and Saarika sealed their bronze medals convincingly Shruti with a controlled 6-0 victory over Germany’s Josephine Wrensch and Saarika with a dominant technical superiority win of 11-0 over Poland’s Ilona Valchuk.
The Indian team’s overall performance was hailed by Wrestling Federation officials as a sign of India’s growing strength in global wrestling.
A Strong Foundation and A Vision for the Future
India’s achievements at the U20 World Championships reflect years of sustained effort to develop young wrestling stars through rigorous training and strategic talent identification.
Wrestlers like Tapasya Gahlawat (earlier gold medallist) and Priya Malik (a silver winner in this tournament) are testimony to the depth in India’s youth wrestling pool. The U20 World Championships serve as a crucial platform for these young athletes to gain international exposure and sharpen their skills.
Wrestling Federation leaders have noted that this success represents the fruits of investments in grassroots programmes, better coaching, and exposure to top-level competition worldwide.
With India finishing second to Japan in the women’s team event, there is optimism that future international dominance is attainable as current initiatives further strengthen India’s wrestling ecosystem.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Kajal Dochak, Shruti, and Saarika’s victories at the U20 World Wrestling Championships beautifully illustrate how sports can be a unifying force that transcends divisions, inspiring communities through shared pride, resilience, and determination. This inspiring moment for Indian women in sports reminds us of the potential within every young individual when provided with opportunity, support, and belief.
The Logical Indian stands for the values of empathy, kindness, and social harmony and believes stories like these foster positive change and hope across the country. As India continues to invest in nurturing sports talent, how can society ensure that inclusivity and equality remain at the heart of this progress, encouraging more young girls to embrace sport and break barriers?
