Randeep Hooda is delighted with Jat girl Sakshi Malik's win
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 19, 2016)

In the early hours of Thursday, Sakshi Malik made history, beating Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan 8-5 in the Repechage rounds of the women's freestyle wrestling to clinch bronze in the 58kg category. Randeep Hooda who was on his way back from the US, was delighted to hear that a fellow Jat had made the tri-colour fly for the first time in the Rio Games. The 23- year-old clawed her way back from 0-5 to become the first woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal. "The little girl packs in a lot of fire-power," the actor, who has won many medals in equestrian events, exulted.

Randeep pointed out that for centuries Haryana has been a land of conflict and this is reflected in its language and the rough behaviour of its people. "It's also there in our desire to excel and our determination to come back when we're down. Sakshi has done the country proud... Done Haryana and its Jats proud. She's restored the sense of pride the state lost in the recent riots," he asserts.

He goes on to point out that Haryana has produced a lot of Olympians; the highest percentage of sportsperson to compete internationally. "Sakshi is from Mohra village in the Rohtak district. It's a village of Maliks and my dad has friends there. I don't know her or the Phogat sisters but I know a lot of others. They get a lot of encouragement from the state, far more than their counterparts elsewhere."

Our sportspersons, he maintains, are not short of talent or courage nor are our coaches short in experience or expertise. But he rues that system sucks because of all the politics rampant in sports and the sporting federations. "It's sad that even though we had an excess staff travelling with the contingent, the team's official doctor was a radiologist. I don't want to point fingers and make this about somebody or something. The problem lies with the general attitude but not that many have been exposed, I'm positive the government will crack down on all of them. It's a matter of national pride," asserts Randeep who took on a has-been wrestler and moulded him into a champion in his last release.

His biggest grouse is that while we don't have the infrastructure needed to produce champions, there are a bevy of people who come flocking in after they win. "They are ready to shower them with awards and rewards but 'after' they win, it's almost like a guilty recognition for not having been there for them before," he sighs.

Sakshi had to wrestle with boys early in her career and face social opposition because women were not allowed to enter the dangal (wrestling ring) earlier in Haryana. The state has been in the news for its cases of female infanticide leading Virender Sehwag to tweet #SakshiMalik is a reminder of what can happen if u don't kill a girl child. When d going gets tough, its our girls who get going & save our pride. (sic)"

While Randeep is glad that a girl child has won a medal for the country and this will result in more families supporting their daughters, he asserts that infanticide is a thing of the past. "It's buried... history. Yes, there are some idiots practicing it in some remote corner, but there are idiots everywhere. The government is stricter now in executing the law and people are more sensible. The equations have changed and Jat girls like Saina Nehwal and now Sakshi are great role models who will teach Haryanvis to value their girls more," he says.

Even in the sports arena, he points out, medals are no longer the prerogative of just the men. Tennis ace Sania Mirza, badminton player PV Sindhu, boxer Mary Kom, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, along with Saina and Sakshi have made a name for themselves across the world. And he's confident they can do even better with a little more support.

"Sakshi had a menial job in the railway and she was competing with the best in the world. Surely we can do better for her," he urges. So will he take a selfie with Sakshi if the opportunity presented itself? "Absolutely!" he exclaims. "She is a hero and I'll be proud to take a selfie with her. She's an example, we need real heroes like her in every community and state across the country."