Vinesh Phogat was the most-searched personality on Google India in 2024. See full list here

Vinesh Phogat missed out on a gold medal after being disqualified at the Paris Olympics. After returning to India, she joined the Congress.

Published on: Dec 11, 2024, 12:40:02 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat was the most-searched personality on Google in India, according to the search engine's ‘Year In Search 2024’ report.

Wrestler-turned-Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat.

Phogat, fellow Olympians Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia spearheaded last year's agitation by wrestlers against the-then Wrestling Federation of India boss Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Also Read: What India Googled the most in 2024: IPL, BJP, Ratan Tata among top 10 trends

At the Paris Olympics this year, she qualified for the final, but was disqualified ahead of the bout on being found overweight. Her appeal was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

After returning to India, Vinesh joined the Congress ahead of the elections in her native state Haryana. Though the party lost to the ruling BJP, she won the Julana seat.

No. 2 was Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who rejoined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in January. With 12 seats, Kumar's Janata Dal (United) is a crucial ally of the BJP, which lost its majority in Lok Sabha for the first time since 2014.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) head Chirag Paswan, also a BJP ally, came third. A former actor, Paswan is now a minister in the BJP-led central government.

India allrounder Hardik Pandya, who was booed throughout the Indian Premier League for “snatching” the Mumbai Indians' captaincy from Rohit Sharma, was fourth. Pandya bowled the final over of India's win against South Africa in the final of the WorldT20 in June.

“Power Star” Pawan Kalyan rounded off the top five. The Janasena Party boss serves as the deputy chief minister of the NDA government in Andhra Pradesh.

Positions 5-10 were held by Shashank Singh (cricketer), Poonam Pandey (model), Radhika Merchant (business leader), Abhishek Sharma (cricketer) and Lakshya Sen (Badminton player) in that order.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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