Ravi Kumar Dahiya

Born on 12^th December 1997 in Nahri village of Sonipat, Haryana, Ravi Kumar Dahiya is a freestyle wrestler who represents India internationally. Born to a farmer Rakesh Dahiya, Ravi began training at the age of 10 under the tutelage of Satpal Singh at North Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium that has produced the legends like Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt.

Ravi’s father used to travel approx. 40 km from Nahri to Delhi to deliver fruits and milk to his son, a major part of his diet, for over a decade. The road to internationals was not easy for Ravi but his father has worked hard to ensure that his son does not have to compromise with his wrestling career.

In 2017, his knee injury got worse that he picked up at the Junior Championships, putting him out of action for more than a year. But his dedication drove him to bounce back impressively. He was included in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) in October 2019.

Here are some of his major career achievements:

• Bagged gold medals at the 2020 and 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships in the 57 kg category
• Ravi won a bronze medal in the 57 kg category at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships, eventually earning a quota for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• At the 2018 U23 World Wrestling Championships in the 57 kg category, Ravi bagged a silver medal.
• Won the silver medal in 55kg category at the 2015 World Junior Wrestling Championships, held in Salvador de Bahia.