The Phogat family has been at the helm of wrestling in India, and has contributed to the sport in an immense manner. The amazing trio of Geeta, Babita and Vinesh talk about their expectations from PWL and share their journey and dreams with us. While Geeta is the icon player for Punjab, Babita is representing UP.
Following are the excerpts of the interview with Geeta.
Q. Who is your inspiration?
A. My father is my inspiration but apart from that my school principal, Kuldeepji, he is my favorite. He too is a sports person and practice Kushti. He always motivates me to go ahead and never misses a chance to congratulate me whenever I achieve something. He is still in touch with me.
Q. At what age did you start doing Wrestling?
A. I was 12 or 13 when I started doing Wrestling.
Q. What motivated you to join Wrestling?
A. My father used to wake up at 4 in the morning. At that time we were kids. I once asked him to join and I was very excited to wake up at 4 in the morning. Then my father took me to his place where he usually went for Wrestling.
He took me for running that day and after 10-15 days he made a temporary sand Akhara at home and from that moment I started my career in Wrestling.
Q. Where do you used to go to practice wrestling?
A. We had a sand Akhara at home only. We used to dig our balcony to make it suitable for wrestling.
Q. Who was your first coach?
A. My father has always been my coach, from the beginning till now, at National Federations we have different coaches but when at home, my personal coach is my father.
Q. Who was your inspiration behind wrestling?
A. My father has always been my inspiration. My Idol is my father who inspired me to join Wrestling.
Q. Wrestling is considered as a male dominated sport but you broke that stereotypical image of it and now you stand here, as a successful woman. How does it feel?
A. It feels great. Being a woman it was difficult to make this way till here. But if my father wouldn’t have put us into Wrestling then we might have been like our other cousin sisters who are married but don’t have their own identity. We are here and we have our own identity, all because of my father.
Q. What was your mother’s role post your tiring practice sessions?
A. This is a very interesting question. Generally mothers feel love and sympathy for the child but our mother is different. She always used to say that we have to do it despite of so much difficulties, she used to say that this is just a matter of two or three more years and after that you will be settled for all your life. So she never used to shed too much of love on us out of sympathy but she used to motivate us to keep going.
Q. During PWL’s launch, you did a ramp walk? How was your experience?
A. It was a very different experience and I was very excited about it too. Specially, the dresses very nice and I enjoyed it.
Q. Everybody knows you by the name ‘GeetaPhogat’ but we would like to know that what does your folks call you, by what name?
A. Everybody calls me Geeta only, I don’t have a nick name.
Q. How excited are you about PWL?
A. I’m very excited about it. I’ve been waiting for it since past two or three years. Now we have a league for Hockey and Kabaddi, so, after hearing about PWL, I’ve been looking forward for it. Wrestling has been related with our God and it is deep rooted in Indian soil, so I’m very much excited about PWL.
Q. Who is your favourite actor?
A. My favorite actor is Aamir Khan because his films are full of inspiration and are related to the society. He is also playing my father’s role in Dangal so this doubles the dose of happiness for me. I’ve been following all his films and this time it is more special for me.
Q. Who is your favorite actress?
A. I cannot specify. I watch many movies so based on the movies my liking for them keeps changing.
Q. Which is you favorite song?
A. I cannot specify, I listen to all Hindi songs.
Q. Do you sing in your free time?Would like sing for us?
A. No, I don’t sing, at all. Singing and dancing is not my cup of tea.
Q. Do you know cooking?
A. I know cooking and I’ve cooked two-three times but I don’t know how does it taste. So I don’t cook usually but I can cook.
Q. Which is your favorite dish?
A. I love Kheer-Choorma cooked by my mother.
Q. Which is your favorite pet?
A. I like dogs. I have a pet named Roxy I even post my pictures with him on social media websites.
Q. Which is your favorite car?
A. My favorite is SUV. I myself have a SUV car.