Kurash: India
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Asian Youth Games
2025: Four- person contingent wins three medals
Sabi Hussain, Oct 22, 2025: The Times of India
New Delhi : Kanishka Bidhuri could have made her international debut in June 2024 at the eighth Children of Asia Games in Yakutsk, Russia. The 14-year-old Delhi girl had another opportunity to represent India at the 14th Asian Kurash Championships that took place in Goesan, South Korea, in Aug this year. On both occasions, Kanishka was part of the Indian contingent but had to withdraw her entry due to financial problems and the lack of govt support.
Her family’s modest income wasn’t enough to fund her expensive competition trips abroad — Kanishka’s father Satpal works only part-time, mainly in dairy products, while her mother is a housewife.
However, she wasn’t ready to give up on her sporting dreams. She patiently waited for the opportunity and chose the Asian Youth Ga-mes (AYG) currently underway in Bahrain, to announce her big arrival.
At the AYG, displaying tactical acumen, fighting skills and big-event temperament, Kanishka claimed an impressive silver in the women’s 52kg division at the AYG for her first international medal. In the final, she lost narrowly by a 0-3 margin to Uzbekistan’s Mubinabonu Karimova. India had sent a four-member contingent in Kurash for the AYG.
Apart from Kanishka, Arvind (men’s 83kg) and Khushi (women’s 70kg) settled for a bronze each.
“It’s a proud moment for the entire family. We knew that Kanishka would come back with a medal from the AYG. Her preparations were good,” an elated Satpal told TOI, adding that had it not been a govt-funded trip, he wouldn’t have sent her daughter to Bahrain due to money problems.
“Kanishka was twice selected to represent India internationally. But I didn’t send her because both trips were not funded by the govt.
“This time, the govt took care of the funding since an Indian contingent was going there. If that hadn’t been the case, I wouldn’t have sent her. Because of our family’s financial problems, I can’t send her abroad from my own pocket. She was getting selected for competitions abroad,” he added.
Know kurash
Originating in Uzbekistan, it is a sport in which two contenders face each other on the gilam, a surface of mats similar to a tatami in judo. The goal of the competitors is to throw the opponent off his or her feet. Action is allowed only in a standing position. Only throws and leg sweeps can be used.
