NANDINI NAGAR (GONDA): It was hard to miss the presence of four-and-a-half-year-old Himani Chaudhary at the Nandini Nagar Mahavidyalaya in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh where the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament was underway.
Despite the venue brimming with wrestlers (around 1400), their coaches and match officials apart from dignitaries and visitors lining up to be part of the event, Himani was noticeable even from a distance sitting alongside her aunt Usha Chaudhary and carefully watching the action on mat.
Usha, a former national-level wrestler, was one of the 30 officials appointed for the three-day tournament by the Wrestling Federation of India. Himani gave company to her aunt when she judged a bout from a table near the mat and watched her vigilantly when she was acting as a referee for a contest. And this has been the trend since Himani was only three. "She saw me on TV while I was refereeing a bout during one of the Khelo India Games. Since then she has become an ardent wrestling fan," Usha told this daily on the sidelines of the tournament on Tuesday.
Usha hails from Jaipur, Rajasthan. Her father Nainulal Chaudhary once watched wrestling bouts in a village in Rajasthan and decided to make Usha a wrestler. "We are three siblings — my elder sister, who is a teacher, me and my younger brother Suraj. Father decided to make me a wrestler. I competed in nine national events and won medals as well but could never represent the country in international tournaments. I left the sport after four years and completed a NIS diploma in coaching. But that dream is still there. My father and brother too want someone from our family to pursue wrestling and win international medals."
The tournament in Gonda is Himani's fifth event with her aunt. With her school vacation on, she will now travel to Gujarat with Usha. "I work as a district sports development officer in Gujarat. My centre has a wrestling facility as well. Himani will stay with me there during the vacation so that she can learn a few wrestling tricks," informed Usha. Usha's brother Suraj is a manager at a nationalised bank while his wife is a fashion designer.
With a huge number of wrestlers competing at the event, men's freestyle bouts went on for almost 24 hours on Day 1. Such a grueling schedule was difficult for everyone including the match officials. But Himani was unperturbed as she stayed awake with her aunt and managed to keep herself fresh with a few possible power naps here and there. "She is more crazy about watching wrestling so that non-stop bouts on the first day couldn't wear her down. At this age, she understands who is leading and what moves the wrestlers are making. She also does physical workouts like lifting dumbbells and practising moves she sees."
Usha doesn't intend to marry. In fact, she plans to adopt one of two daughters (the second child is one year old) of her brother and groom her into a world-class wrestler. "I always dreamt of winning medals for my country but unfortunately that dream could not be realised. Now I want to live my dream through my niece. I will adopt one of my brother's daughters and help her become a wrestler. I will leave no stone unturned to make her an international wrestler, who will clinch medals for India," Usha signed off.