Mahavir Singh Phogat is one of the most recognizable names associated with Indian wrestling. He was a wrestler who later became a coach and trained his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat, helping them build successful careers in freestyle wrestling.
His family story later became the inspiration for the Bollywood sports film Dangal, but Mahavir’s real sporting journey began years before the movie.
Who Is Mahavir Singh Phogat?
Mahavir Singh Phogat is a former wrestler and wrestling coach from Balali village in Haryana. He became particularly known for training his daughters and other young wrestlers from his region.
Mahavir began training Geeta and Babita around 2000 at their village. According to contemporary reporting, people in the village initially questioned his decision to train girls in wrestling, but the sisters later achieved success at national and international competitions.
Mahavir Singh Phogat as a Father
For Mahavir, wrestling was not simply a profession. He wanted his daughters to become successful athletes.
He trained Geeta and Babita from an early age and maintained a demanding training routine. His daughters have described him as a strict coach who expected them to follow their training schedule seriously.
The training reportedly began very early in the morning. His approach combined physical conditioning, wrestling techniques and regular practice at the akhada.
Why Did He Train His Daughters in Wrestling?
At the time, women’s wrestling was not widely accepted in many parts of rural Haryana.
Mahavir nevertheless decided to train his daughters. His decision became significant because Geeta eventually became India’s first woman wrestler to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2010.
Their success demonstrated that girls from rural backgrounds could compete at major wrestling competitions.
Mahavir’s Training Methods
Mahavir’s early training took place in the traditional akhada, where wrestlers practice wrestling and physical conditioning.
His daughters trained in the mud initially, while mat wrestling was also important for international competition. Mahavir himself emphasized that wrestlers needed experience on the mat because that was the international format.
The training was demanding. His daughters have spoken about early-morning sessions and strict discipline.
Geeta Phogat’s Historic Achievement
Mahavir’s eldest daughter Geeta became one of the biggest achievements of his coaching journey.
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Geeta won gold in women’s freestyle wrestling. She became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Her victory brought international attention to the Phogat family and Indian women’s wrestling.
Babita Phogat Also Became a Champion
Mahavir’s younger daughter Babita Phogat also developed a successful wrestling career.
Babita won a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and later won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The achievements of both sisters established the Phogat family as an important name in Indian wrestling.
Mahavir Trained More Than His Two Daughters
One interesting fact is that Mahavir’s coaching story does not end with Geeta and Babita.
He also trained other members of the extended Phogat family, including Vinesh Phogat and Priyanka Phogat. His home in Balali became a place where girls trained in wrestling.
In later years, Mahavir continued his involvement with wrestling and ran an academy in the region. A 2023 report described him as an active coach and noted that he was running an academy at Vivekanand Memorial Public School in Jhojhu Kalan.
Mahavir Singh Phogat and Dangal
The story of Mahavir and his daughters became the basis for the 2016 Bollywood film Dangal, starring Aamir Khan as Mahavir Singh Phogat.
The movie presents many elements inspired by the family’s real sporting journey. However, it is important to remember that Dangal is a biographical sports drama, not a documentary.
Some events were changed or dramatized for the film. For example, Geeta’s real-life coach P. R. Sondhi later disputed aspects of the coach’s portrayal in the movie and said that Geeta and Babita had trained under him for several years.
So, the movie provides a dramatic version of the story, while the real sporting history is more detailed.
An Interesting Fact About His Coaching Philosophy
Mahavir’s approach was not limited to traditional mud wrestling.
He recognized that international wrestling required mat training and repeatedly highlighted the importance of proper equipment and facilities for young wrestlers. In interviews, he spoke about the need for wrestling mats and better support for athletes.
This shows the difference between traditional Indian wrestling training and the requirements of modern international freestyle wrestling.
Mahavir’s Biggest Sporting Legacy
Mahavir Singh Phogat’s biggest legacy is closely connected with the wrestlers he trained.
Geeta became a Commonwealth Games champion and an Olympian. Babita also became a Commonwealth Games champion. Other members of the extended family, including Vinesh Phogat, went on to compete at the highest levels of international wrestling.
The Phogat family’s achievements helped bring greater public attention to women’s wrestling in India.
Mahavir Singh Phogat: Father First, Coach Too
What makes Mahavir’s story unusual is the combination of two roles.
He was not only the father of Geeta and Babita; he was also their early wrestling coach. Training his own children meant that the relationship between family life and sporting discipline was closely connected.
His daughters’ achievements eventually transformed their family’s story into one of the most recognizable sports stories in India.
Final Takeaway
Mahavir Singh Phogat was a wrestler, father and coach whose training helped Geeta and Babita Phogat become successful international wrestlers.
He started training his daughters in Balali around 2000, when women’s participation in wrestling faced social barriers in their region. Geeta’s historic Commonwealth Games gold in 2010 and Babita’s later international success brought national attention to their family.
The story later inspired Dangal, but the real sporting journey of Mahavir Singh Phogat and the Phogat family stands on its own as an important chapter in the history of Indian wrestling.
