Delhi’s dabang cop-cum-wrestler shines in the glory of gold

Wrestler Babita Nagar, a head constable with Delhi Police, recently brought home a gold medal from the World Police and Fire Games held in the Netherlands. She shares her happiness and jubilation after having realised her dream.

A police officer, a wrestler and a guru to her many students, head constable Babita Nagar sets a true example of how women in sports are acing the game. The wrestler recently brought home a gold medal from the World Police and Fire Games held in Netherlands, after putting up an awe-inspiring show in the finals of 68kg category, wherein she took a mere 24 seconds to defeat her opponent! “Mujhe lagta hai finals mein meri kushti sabhi ne dekhi. Maine apni pratidvandhi ko harane mein time nahi lagaya. Mehnat aur confidence ka nateeja hai yeh medal,” says Nagar, as she glitters with joy.

Wrestler Babita Nagar took just 24 seconds to defeat her opponent in the finals of 68kg category at the World Police and Fire Games.

She has been in Delhi Police since 2001, and is proud of her profession as well as her sport. Joking about the combination of the two, the 39-year-old says, “Police waalon ka waise hi thoda dab daba hota hai, upar se main pehelwan bhi hoon. Toh vardi mein aur jaan aa jaati hai (smiles)!”

Sharing about the love and warmth she has been showered with, since she has returned to her home in Greater Noida, after the tournament, with the medal, Nagar says, “Meri life ka ek dream pura hua hai. Jis din se maine wrestling shuru kari thi, us din se main yeh sapna dekh rahi hun, apne desh ka naam roshan karne ka.... Aur jabse mai wapas aayi hun, meri training academy ke students mujhse roz milne aa rahi hain. Pura shehar, samaaj aur desh bahut support kar raha hai. Bahut acha lag raha hai.”

Behind the sheen of the medal is her will with which she balances her tough work alongside the rigours of a tougher training as an athlete. “Main subah 4 baje uth jati hun practice shuru karne ke liye. Pehle apni academy mein ladkiyon ko train karwati hun, fir khud ki practice karti hun. Jo bhi Police ki duty se time bachta hai, usmein main sirf training par hi dhyan deti hun. Lekin kyunki physical training Police mein bhi hoti hai, toh woh bhi bahot kaam aati hai,” she adds.

Her achievements often hide the many mellow days that an athlete has to go through. Having sustained major injuries several times, Nagar shares how it was not always a smooth sailing for her. “Injury ke time bahut nirasha hoti hai aur hurt feel hota hai. Par main apne aap ko boost up karti hun; kai baar man nahi hota hai par main apne aap ko kehti hun ki karna hai tabhi fal milega,” she says, adding, “Is competition se kuch saal pehle mujhe major back injury hui thi, but maine training karke wapis (apna stamina banaya). I have now been at the peak of my fitness level since the last six months, and it shows in my performance.”

Author tweets @karansethi042

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