Vinesh Phogat’s mother on Saturday said she’d feed the Olympic wrestler ‘churma’ and ‘halwa’ once she gets home. Vinesh arrived at Delhi airport earlier today morning.
Speaking with news agency ANI, Vinesh’s mother said the family is very happy, “the whole country is honouring our daughter.”
“When she reaches home, we will feed her ‘churma’, ‘halwa’ etc. …” she added.
Tear-eyed, Vinesh Phogat thanked Indians for the historic welcome at Delhi’s IGI Airport.
“I thank all the countrymen, I am very fortunate,” she said, as quoted by ANI.
Several notable people, including Congress MP Deepender Hooda, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and others, were at the airport to welcome the wrestler.
Videos of friends and family members of Vinesh dancing and celebrating the 29-year-old ace grappler’s return surfaced online.
After her triumphant win in the semi-final 50 Kg women’s freestyle wrestling match, Vinesh Phogat made it to the finals of the Paris Olympic games but was disqualified for exceeding the weight criteria by 100 grams.
On August 7, she sought the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and petitioned to grant her a silver medal, but the CAS dismissed her application. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said it is “exploring further legal options” after dismissing the plea.
Vinesh’s open letter
On August 16, Vinesh Phogat penned an emotional note on X expressing her journey and thanking everybody who has helped her so far.
Her letter starts with, “Olympic rings: As a small girl from a small village, I did not know what the Olympics were or what these rings meant. As a small girl, I dream of things like long hair, flaunting a mobile phone in my hand, and doing all these things that any young girl would normally dream of.”
The letter further states, “But survival taught me a lot. Seeing my mother’s hardships, never-give-up attitude, and fighting spirit is what makes me the way I am. She taught me to fight for what is rightfully mine. When I think about courage, I think about her, and it is this courage that helps me fight every fight without thinking about the outcome.”