Don’t mind being called arrogant: Vinesh Phogat
Stubborn by her own admission, trailblazing Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat doesn’t mind being called arrogant for it since the attitude comes in handy to intimidate rivals on the mat.
Speaking to DIN in an exclusive interview, India’s first woman wrestler to claim an Asian Games gold medal dwelled on the perceptions about her, life after marriage to fellow grappler Somvir Rathee and her Olympic dreams.
“I am very stubborn, since childhood. If I feel something is right, even if that is wrong, I will be very stubborn about that and I make sure people agree with me even if I am wrong sometimes,” she laughed. But would she call it a virtue, to be steadfast even if wrong? “If someone explains with love and proves that my thought process is wrong and I also start to realise that, then I concede and step back,” she said. And what about the perception of being arrogant for being so headstrong? “Yes people say that (arrogant) but I know what’s inside me. And if it helps me on the mat, I don’t bother,” she said. “It helps me on the mat. People say it’s over-confidence but for me it’s belief. I don’t get intimidated and your opponent also notices the body language. Some people work on it but for me it’s God gift,” she added.
The 24-year-old Commonwealth Games champion recently got married and is now determined to end the stereotype of women’s career getting affected by their marital status.
“People say that after marriage, we lose spark and fire but I want to break this myth. I want to take this fear out of girls that marriage is a barrier. I want to be an example, so I decided to marry early,” Vinesh said.”Of course you need support of your partner. There are a few in our society who do not believe in (love) relationships (without marriage) so they will ask why don’t you get married and some will say why marry so early? Now Olympics is a major competition and I have all the support of Somvir,” she said.Vinesh, the first Indian athlete ever to be nominated for Laureus World Sports Award, also insisted that the mindset of Indian wrestlers have greater self-belief.
