Her performance brought the nation together.
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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government also offered a promotion to bronze medallist Sakshi Malik’s father who works in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
In keeping with the sports policy of the state government, Sakshi Malik will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 2.50 crore. “It’s my dream of 12 years come true, I’m so happy”, Malik said, “I was very confident I would win”.
Her bronze is the first medal by an Indian woman wrestler and fifth overall for the country in the sport in Olympics.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to congratulate Sakshi, and hailed her for making the “whole nation proud”.
India’s Sindhu Pusarla celebrates after defeating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara during a women’s singles semifinal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 18.
And when Maria too lost her quarter-final bout against Venezuela’s Betzabeth Angelica Arguello Villegas 3-6, it spelt curtains for the Indian’s slim hopes of replicating Sakshi and win a bronze through the repechage process. Overall it was a good game and I have settled with the silver.
She did not know about the Olympic gold medal or the World Championships. Sakshi Malik’s remarkable endurance and zeal in a comeback victory in a repêchage medal opportunity not only ends India’s hunt in a long dry run in Rio, but also throws light on talent in small towns.
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“The entire Air India family is proud that you have won the first medal for the country in the Rio Olympics”, the letter said, shared by ANI on Twitter, said.
