Divya Kakran (born 1998) is a freestyle wrestler from India. Divya has won 60 medals, including 17 gold medals in the Delhi State Championship, and has won the Bharat Kesari title eight times.[1] She has been vocal about being disappointed by the lack of support from the government of Delhi in her pursuit for a medal at the Asian Games in 2018, despite writing to the government about her poor financial background.[2] Divya is presently employed with the Indian Railways as senior ticket examiner.
 Divya Kakran at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Divya |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Citizenship | India |
| Born | Purbaliyan, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh |
| Alma mater | Noida College of Physical Education |
| Occupation(s) | Sports, currently working in Indian Railways, Delhi |
| Years active | 2008 – present |
| Employer | Indian Railways |
| Height | 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) |
| Life partner | No |
| Other interests | Wrestling |
| Sport | |
| Country | India |
| Sport | Wrestling |
| Team | Indian Wrestling Federation |
| Coached by | Vikram Kumar Sonkar (Guru Premnath Akhara, Delhi) |
Medal record | |
Personal life and family edit
Divya Kakran hails from Uttar Pradesh and belongs to a middle-class family from Purbaliyan village. Her father Suraj sold Langots for livelihood, which her mother sewed at home.[3][4] Kakran studied Physical Education and Sports Sciences (BPES) at the Noida College of Physical Education in Dadri, India.[1]
Wrestling career edit
- 2017 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships - Kakran won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Championship held in South Johannesburg, Africa in December 2017.[5]
- 2017 Asian Wrestling Championships - Kakran won a silver medal in the women's freestyle 69 kg event at the 2017 Asian Wrestling Championships in India.[6]
- 2018 Bharat Kesri Dangal 23 March 2018 - Kakran won the Bharat Kesari title, held in Bhiwani, Haryana, India. In the final match of the competition, Kakran defeated Ritu Malik. Before this final match, Kakran defeated the international champion Geeta Phogat, who was famous enough to be portrayed in the movie Dangal.
- 2018 Asian Games Jakarta Palembang - Kakran won a bronze medal in the women's freestyle 68 kg event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, beating Taipei's Chen Wenling on account of technical superiority.[7][8]
- In the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, she won Bronze in Women's 68 kg freestyle wrestling after losing to Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and 11-time African champion Blessing Oborududu from Nigeria.[9]
Competitions edit
| Year | Competition | Weight Class | Medal | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | 68 kg | Bronze | |
| 2018 | Asian Games | 68 kg | Bronze | Jakarta, Palembang |
| 2017 | Commonwealth Wrestling Championship | 68 kg | Gold | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| 2017 | Senior National Championship[5][10] | 68 kg | Gold | India |
| 2017 | All India University Championship[4] | 68 kg | Gold | India |
| 2017 | Asian Wrestling Championship[5][11] | 68 kg | Silver | New Delhi, India |
References edit
- ^ a b "दिव्या ने पिता को दिया उपहार, जीता स्वर्ण". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Asian Games bronze medallist Divya Kakran lambastes Arvind Kejriwal, says got no help from Delhi government". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "स्टेडियम के बाहर पिता बेच रहे थे लंगोट, बेटी ने जीत लिया गोल्ड मेडल, पढ़े इस खिलाड़ी की कहानी". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ a b "Wrestling Nationals: With father selling langots outside stadium, Divya Kakran wins gold". The Indian Express. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ a b c "Commonwealth Games 2018: With talent on her side, Divya Kakran will aim to wrestle her way to gold - Firstpost". www.firstpost.com. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "International Wrestling Database". www.iat.uni-leipzig.de. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Asian Games 2018 Live Update Day 3: Divya Kakran Wins Wrestling Bronze, Virdhawal Khade Misses Out on Swimming Medal". news18. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- ^ "Wrestling Results Book" (PDF). 2018 Asian Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "CWG 2022: Indian Grappler Divya Kakran Clinches Bronze". NDTV. 6 August 2022.
- ^ "Divya Kakran Won Gold At Wrestling Nationals While Her Father Sold Langots Outside Stadium". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Divya Kakran". United World Wrestling. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
External links edit
- Divya Kakran at the International Wrestling Database (alternate link)
- Divya Kakran at United World Wrestling
- Divya Kakran at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
