Manisha Bhanwala scripts history, becomes India's first woman wrestling world champion

The 29-year-old scripted a remarkable comeback in the women's 59kg final, defeating American wrestler Abigail Nette 8-6 after trailing 0-6.

With this victory, Manisha became only the second Indian wrestler to win a senior World Championships gold medal, following Sushil Kumar, who claimed the men's 66kg title in 2010.

Her triumph ended India's 16-year wait for a wrestling world champion and marked a landmark moment for women's wrestling in the country.

Historic campaign for Indian women's wrestling

Manisha's gold medal capped an exceptional campaign for the Indian women's team. For the first time in the country's history, three Indian women reached the gold medal bouts at the same edition of the World Championships.

Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) had to settle for silver medals on Thursday after losing their respective finals. Tanmu Sharma also contributed to India's medal tally with a bronze.

Manisha, meanwhile, secured her place in the final with a commanding semifinal victory over Kazakhstan's Altyn Shagayeva before producing her best performance on the biggest stage.

Who is Manisha Bhanwala? From Haryana village to world champion

Born on February 10, 1997, Manisha hails from Siwaha village in Haryana's Jind district. Standing at 5 feet 2 inches, she initially entered wrestling for fitness rather than competitive ambitions.

In 2013, her father encouraged her to join an akhada to lose weight. What began as a fitness exercise gradually turned into a journey towards international sporting success.

She trained under coach Mandeep Singh at Sir Chhotu Ram Stadium and later benefited from the guidance of Japanese coach Kosei Akaishi at the Inspire Institute of Sport.

A career built on medals and comebacks

Manisha announced her arrival on the international stage in 2016, winning the Cadet World Championship title and a gold medal at the South Asian Games in the 60kg category.

She went on to win gold at the 2018 World Military Games in China. Between 2022 and 2024, she secured three consecutive bronze medals at the Asian Championships.

Her breakthrough at the senior level came in 2025 when she won the Asian Championships gold in the 62kg category in Amman, Jordan. She overturned a 2-7 deficit to defeat North Korea's Kim Ok-Ju 8-7, securing India's first women's gold at the continental championships in four years.

She also won gold at the 2023 National Games in Goa.

Personal tragedy did not stop her wrestling journey

Behind Manisha's success lies a story of personal loss and determination.

On April 17, 2022, the very day she was scheduled to travel for the Asian Championships, her father died following a sudden heart attack.

Despite the devastating loss, Manisha decided to travel for the competition and returned with a bronze medal.

Her career has also involved difficult professional decisions. She reportedly resigned from her job in the paramilitary forces because work commitments were affecting her training schedule and performance.

She subsequently chose to concentrate entirely on wrestling. She also made headlines after defeating Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik three times during selection trials.

Eyeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

With the World Championships gold now added to her growing list of achievements, Manisha has her sights set on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

She is transitioning to the 57kg category as part of her Olympic preparations. The wrestler has previously spoken about how her height can put her at a disadvantage against taller European opponents in the 62kg division.

Her historic victory in Astana could prove to be a defining moment, not just in her career but also in the evolution of Indian women's wrestling.