JAKARTA: It is rare for a parent to accept that someone else is better than his kids in what they do, be it academics or sports or any other field. If they do that, he or she must be special. That is what ‘tauji’ Mahavir Singh Phogat said when asked about Vinesh. Mahavir’s daughters Geeta and Babita inspired many by winning international wrestling medals and made them believe that women can wrestle too. But the coach, who also happens to be Vinesh’s uncle, believes she has raised the bar.
“I have more faith in Vinesh because of her talent. She is not scared of anything. She does things from the heart and she’s a grade above Geeta and Babita,” Mahavir told Express after Vinesh’s historic gold. After Vinesh’s father passed away, she was raised by Mahavir. With his daughters becoming champions, Mahavir craved for Vinesh’s success.
Coaching daughters and niece in the same cradle is always going to be a challenge. But for Mahavir, Vinesh is his daughter. He was confident of her success. “She’s my daughter. I did for her everything that I did for Geeta and Babita. ” What Vinesh said speaks volumes of the kind of relationship they have — “I fulfilled my uncle’s dream.”