Olympic medallist, Sakshi Malik, is the only Indian sportsperson to have been highlighted in Time magazine’s listing of ‘The 100 Most Influential People today of 2024’ in their most up-to-date announcement on Wednesday.
She was a person of all those wrestlers who collected at Jantar Mantar in early 2023 to protest towards the previous head of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Singh. The team gathered to demand the instant arrest and resignation of Brijbhushan, who is the ruling bash BJP’s sitting MP from Kaiserganj, accused of sexually harassing feminine athletes.
The 31-12 months-aged Sakshi is India’s initial and only female wrestler to win an Olympic medal. She clinched a bronze medal, staging a occur-from-at the rear of earn towards Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan to acquire the medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Sakshi along with her fellow star Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, staged protests to demand decisive action against Brij Bhushan. The protest lasted for at least a calendar year and manufactured a considerable impression on Indian athletics.
They had been drawing aid from across the state and consideration from all in excess of the earth. After the wrestlers’ protests, Singh was charged with sexual harassment, stalking, and intimidation, charges he has denied.
“This fight is no for a longer time only for India’s woman wrestlers,” said Malik of the movement she helped spark, “it is for the daughters of India whose voices have been silenced time and all over again.”
Even so, their protest did not have a pleased ending and shortly Sanjay Singh, a near ally and company lover of Brij Bhushan, was elected to oversee the WFI.
Sakshi, sad with the final decision, introduced retirement from the sport throughout a push meeting. Nevertheless, she did not quit the struggle towards Brij Bhushan.
SAKSHI MALIK IN THE 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ MOST INFLUENTIAL Folks OF 2024 🤼♀️🚨🪧
Only 🇮🇳 athlete in the prestigious periods checklist. Malik, the initial and only female wrestler to acquire an Olympic medal located a place for her courageous struggle from harassment, even when it meant quitting the activity that was… pic.twitter.com/4DGIz0jldm
— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) April 17, 2024
Other athletes on this year’s list integrated star F1 racer Max Verstappen of the Netherlands. Along with Sakshi Malik, just one extra woman athlete, Jenni Hermoso of Spain, an icon of women’s soccer, has been featured on this listing.