(August 25, 2025) Seventeen-year-old Haryana wrestler Kajal Dochak stood tall on the podium in Samokov, Bulgaria, on August 22 after clinching gold in the women’s 72kg category at the U20 World Wrestling Championships. Apart from being a victory for India, the wrestler’s achievement marked the culmination of a family’s legacy and a young woman’s unflinching determination. Within the past two months, alternating between the 72kg and 76kg divisions, Kajal has collected gold and silver medals at Asian and World championships, underlining her rapid rise on the global stage.
The golden moment in Bulgaria
On the final day of the U20 World Championships in Samokov, Kajal scripted history with an 8-6 victory over China’s Yuqi Liu in a tense 72kg final. The bout was a see-saw battle. Kajal took a commanding 4-0 lead, only to see Liu stage a spirited comeback. But the Haryana youngster, displaying remarkable composure, dug deep into her defensive arsenal and sealed the win.
This victory reinforced India’s rising dominance in wrestling. What made the achievement even more extraordinary was Kajal’s resilience. She competed despite running a fever, relying on her speed, stamina, and trademark double leg attacks to outwit her opponents of multiple rounds.
A wrestling legacy in the Dochak family
Behind Kajal’s golden moment lies a wrestling lineage. Her uncle, Krishan Dochak, himself a former international wrestler, once shared the mats with Indian greats like Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt. Competing in the 96kg category, Krishan clinched a bronze medal at the Takhti Cup in Iran before family responsibilities pulled him toward the transport business in Sonepat.
He decided to make Kajal a wrestler. “Seeing her win medals for India gives us immense joy. She is carrying forward our legacy in a bigger way,” he shared with a daily. Her father, Ravinder Dochak, too, balanced wrestling ambitions before joining the family’s small passenger transport service. The family’s roots trace back to Lath village near Sonepat, known more for kabaddi, but destiny carved a different path for the Dochaks.
The making of a champion
Kajal’s tryst with wrestling began in 2017 when she was taken to the Kuldeep Malik Wrestling Academy near Sonepat. Under the watchful guidance of her trainers Kuldeep Malik and Ajay Malik, her raw energy was chiseled into championship material.
Her journey has been nothing short of spectacular, marked by consistent victories at the U17 and U20 levels. She first drew attention with her fearless leg attacks and unflinching stamina, growing from a frail 38kg competitor to a world champion in the 72kg category.
Kajal defeated Priya Malik, the 2023 U20 World Champion in the 76kg category, during the Asian Championship trials, proving her readiness to compete at the highest level.
Her uncle Krishan recalled that she was always natural with moves like leg locks. Initially weak, she worked on her body with training and diet. “I knew she needed both weight and speed, and we emphasized leg attacks and stamina,” he mentioned.
From weak beginner to world beater
Kajal’s early years were filled with challenges. Competing in the 38-40kg categories before 2020, she often seemed frail compared to stronger opponents. Yet her fearless spirit stood out. Coaches often noticed how she attacked bigger wrestlers without hesitation, relying on her swiftness and clever maneuvers.
This fearlessness paid off at the U20 Worlds. Facing defending champion Jasmine Robinson of the USA in the semi-finals, Kajal trailed 0-4. But she mounted a spectacular comeback, securing a 13-6 victory, despite having fever. Her final against Liu mirrored the same grit. Playing through illness, she executed precise leg attacks and foiled the Chinese wrestler’s advances, clinching the gold in style.
Haryana’s wrestling stronghold
Kajal’s rise highlights Haryana’s status as India’s wrestling nursery. From Olympic medalists like Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, the state has consistently produced world-class grapplers.
The Dochaks’ move from Lath village to Sonepat, which is a hub for wrestling academies proved pivotal. Training facilities, exposure, and the local culture of grappling allowed Kajal to hone her skills against quality opponents from an early age. For her family, wrestling was more than sport. It was a way of life, transcending from one generation to another.
India’s medal haul in Bulgaria
Kajal’s gold wasn’t the only highlight for India’s women’s wrestling success. Wrestlers Shruti and Saarika added bronze medals in 50 and 53 women’s categories respectively, showcasing the depth of India’s bench strength at the youth level. Tapasya Gehlawat clinched gold in the 57 kg category. Together, these victories signal a bright future for Indian women’s wrestling, which has seen a meteoric rise in the last decade.
The achievements of the wrestling stars in Samokov will inspire countless young girls across rural India, particularly from Haryana, where wrestling mats are often laid out in dusty akharas and open fields.
Senior dreams and Olympic goals
At just 17, Kajal has already made her mark on the world stage. The next step is transitioning smoothly to the senior wrestling circuit, where competition intensifies. Kajal has demonstrated she can compete with the best. Her focus will now be on building endurance, refining technique, and gaining exposure through international competitions.
If nurtured well, Kajal could become a future Olympic medal prospect for India, following the footsteps of her legendary predecessors.
The young wrestler’s golden win in Bulgaria and her transition from a frail beginner in the 38kg category to a world champion at 72kg is an embodiment of what Indian women’s wrestling stands for today: fearless, resilient, and unstoppable.
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