Here is a wrestler who becomes a national sensation without a victory or medal. She has become a national icon without any achievement. To the stand winners, take the laurels. However, there is a name - Vinesh Phogat. Gold - No, Silver - No, Bronze - No or medal - No, she has grabbed all the attention and sympathy. For her, this is not a new narration. It deepened as she surged into the fifty kg. Olympic wrestling final, the first Indian woman to storm into the final. Then came the appalling news of her disqualification due to being a hundred-gram overweight. Instead of silencing her tale sweep, her failures had a pattern of elating it higher and higher. She is a master of sustaining this art.
There is
nothing unique to lose in sports. Most participants lose more than the winners.
In Paris, there are only three winners in each game and most Olympians lose.
There are many Indians too, who narrowly missed the bronze. They missed bronze
by a thin distance, in badminton, archery, shooting, athletics, and weightlifting.
But, great Vinesh had much more share of name and fame even in ducks. She has
more hits than any other struggling sportsperson to her credit what's
fascinating about her memoirs is. What is special about this Olympian in
India? It is the conflict, she brawled far away from the ring for some
conflicting claims about sexual harassment.
However,
here the bout was far more real and tough. It was a real bout of strength and
skills. Many Indians aspire to be a part of the Olympic test but only a few succeed
although they have all the potential and strength. But, luck doesn't bless
them, unlike Vinesh. They only glue to the TV screen and understand the luck of
a celebrity who grips on both, with a sort of unmindful heroism. It is a lesson
to others as said by John Milton, ' They also serve who only stand and wait.'
Many voices
have floated conspiracy theories around her disqualification. It is now clear
that they are ignorant about the wrestling rules. This is a country where most
of the conversation is in the style of Bollywood. Former Chief Minister of
Haryana, Shri Bhupindra Singh Hooda did a wonderful stunt by demanding the
government to nominate Vinesh Phogat to the Rajya Sabha. However, this stunt
was wisely and timely punctured by the family of Vinesh itself by dubbing it a
'political stunt' lest it became a national controversy and mockery. Even they
started doubting the entire selection and switch-over process from the 53 kg to
50 kg category. These over-zealot voices have to be silenced by the sports
minister by giving details about the huge amount of money spent by the
government of Vinesh and her training. An MP termed her disqualification as a
lesson to all to keep our weight in control and check.
The strength
and plot of this tale is Vinesh herself. She played her role very perfectly,
whether, in politics, protest, sports, words, postures, photo sessions, her
tweet announcing her retirement, her reflections were beyond words haul.
Not long ago, she bitterly lashed the same Indians for standardizing the sexual
abuse, which made her a national celebrity and glorious victim without any
medal.
Regular
trolls, feminists, liberals and 'Me Too' warriors also found a good opportunity
to jump into the ring and came lashing with set lexicography like patriarchal
elements in the 'macho government', not listening to a woman. Some compared her
with Kamala Harris, and some branded her as a 'lioness', 'sherni', 'tigress'
and whatnot.
Vinesh made
the nation forget the atrocities against the Hindus in Bangladesh, five hundred
deaths in Waynad, more than a hundred deaths in the Tamilnadu hooch
tragedy, Manipur violence, the success of the film Kalki etc. Nobody remembers
the names of the winners Manu Bhaker, Neeraj Chopra, Swapnil Kusale, Aman
Sehrawat, Shrijesh etc. Earnest Hemmingway very aptly commented, "Winners
take nothing." This charisma is Vinesh. God doth not need, Either man's
work or his gifts; who best, Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best.
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