Who is Manisha Bhanwala? India’s First Women’s Wrestling World Champion

Indian wrestling has a new landmark. On October 30, 2026, Manisha Bhanwala became India’s first-ever women’s world champion at the Senior World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. She won gold in the 59kg freestyle category.

The Final: A Comeback From 0-6

Bhanwala beat American Abigail Nette 8-6 in the final. She was trailing 0-6 at one stage, then scored eight unanswered points to turn the match around. Earlier, she had beaten Kazakhstan’s Altyn Shagayeva 10-0 in the semi-final.

Quick Facts

Sources differ on her hometown, with some naming Rohtak and Khel Now naming a village in Jind district.

An Accidental Wrestler

Wrestling was not part of her plan. Her father took her to an akhada to help her lose weight and improve her fitness. She began wrestling in 2013 and trained under coach Mandeep Singh, then later with Japanese coach Kosei Akaishi at the Inspire Institute of Sport.

Her Rise Through the Ranks

In the 2025 Asian final, she fought back from 2-7 to beat North Korea’s Kim Ok-Ju 8-7. She also made headlines by beating Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik at selection trials.

A Historic Milestone

She is the first Indian woman to win a senior world title, and only the second Indian wrestler after Sushil Kumar, who won men’s 66kg gold in 2010. Her win capped India’s best-ever women’s campaign at the Worlds. Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) took silver, and Tanu Sharma won bronze, for four women’s medals in total.

What’s Next

Her long-term target is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and she plans to move to 57kg, an Olympic weight class.

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