Inspired by Dangal, backed by dad’s faith, Rutuja Gurav wins wrestling gold on Khelo India Youth Games debut

Daughter of a construction labourer, Rutuja’s rise began with a gold at the Junior Nationals in 2021, a title she defended in 2022

Khel Today Bureau

Patna: Rutuja Santosh Gurav was just eight when her father, a construction labourer by profession and a sports enthusiast, took her to a wrestling academy, situated nearly about two kilometres from their village Panchgaon, in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.

For the next six months, the little girl was hesitant to take up the sport, but the real inspiration came when Rutuja’s father made her watch Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal — a movie based on wrestling and inspired by the lives of the Phogats. There was no looking back ever since.

Over the past eight years, Rutuja dedicated herself completely to the sport, and so did Santosh Gurav, who stood like a shadow to her in wherever she has competed, cheering from the sidelines, even though he doesn’t have much technical inputs about her sport. His presence, always at the sidelines, has been her silent strength.

Rutuja’s rise began with a gold at the Junior Nationals in 2021, a title she defended in 2022. A silver followed at the 2023 Nationals, and another gold at the School Games the same year. Last year, she made her international debut with a silver medal at the Junior Asian Championships in Thailand.

Despite these accolades, life at home remains modest. Santosh, who earns around ₹15,000 a month, relies on his wife’s ₹6,000 income from her job as a grocery store helper to support their family of four—including Rutuja’s elder sister, a law student.

Participating in her maiden Khelo India Youth Games, Rutuja, standing at a little over five feet, was confident of a podium finish. For Santosh, however, winning a medal at the KIYG, Bihar, could ensure a steady cash flow for his young wrestler daughter.

“It gets difficult to run the family at times, there are lots of expenses. I usually work for 12 hours a day, sometimes, overtime, to earn a few extra bucks. But I ensure that I do not miss any of her competitions, so during those days there’s no income,” he explained.

“The Khelo India scholarship scheme is a blessing. With this support, our daughter can focus completely on her training. It’ll help with her nutrition and equipment too,” he added.

On Wednesday, the 16-year-old showed just why she’s one of the brightest prospects in the sport. She started her U-17 girls’ 46kg campaign with a commanding 3-1 win over Delhi’s Khushi, followed by a 4-0 semifinal triumph against Bihar’s Rupa Kumari. In the final, facing stiff resistance from Haryana’s Annu, Rutuja kept her composure and surged in the closing moments to seal a 3-1 win and the gold.

The bronze medals in the category went to Khushi (Delhi) and Kashish Gurjar (Rajasthan).

Rutuja’s win is not just a personal triumph, it’s a symbol of grit, hope and a family’s undying belief in dreams built through struggle.