Indian wrestler and Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024.
Sakshi Malik, India’s only female Olympic medalist in wrestling, has been acknowledged for her role in combating alleged sexual harassment within the sport.
Alongside wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, she has been at the forefront of protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former president of the Wrestling Federation of India, calling for his arrest on charges of harassment and intimidation of female wrestlers.
The protests, which began in January of the previous year at Jantar Mantar, drew widespread attention and support, persisting for a year in their stand against Singh.
Despite being charged, Singh denies all allegations against him.
“This fight is no longer only for India’s female wrestlers,” Malik remarked regarding the broader significance of their efforts. “It is for the daughters of India whose voices have been silenced time and again.”
After Singh stepped down, his close aide and business partner, Sanjay Singh, was elected as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India. Following this transition, Malik decided to retire from wrestling.
The Time list, revealed on Wednesday, also includes other influential figures such as World Bank President Ajay Banga, Bollywood star Alia Bhatt, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and actor-director Dev Patel.
Additionally, the list features Jigar Shah, director of the US Department of Energy’s Loan Programmes Office; Yale University professors Priyamvada Natarajan in Astronomy and Physics; Indian-origin restaurateur Asma Khan; and Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
(PTI)
