A wall of champions at Sir Chhotu Ram Akhara & a new name waits to join legends

Manisha Bhanwala taking a victory lap after winning gold medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships

ROHTAK: Some walls tell stories that words struggle to capture. Inside the wrestling academy at Sir Chhotu Ram Akhara here, one such wall speaks of Olympic glory, world-class grit and the extraordinary journeys of wrestlers who once dared to dream big.

Large photographs of Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sakshi Malik adorn it, turning the space into something of an informal hall of fame. And now, there is a new champion whose photograph is waiting to find its place among these illustrious names -- Manisha Bhanwala.As you looked at the photographs, chief coach Mandeep Singh needed little prompting to guess the question. "Yes, yes, Manisha's photograph will soon be up here too," he replied to an unasked question with a smile.

"These photographs are reserved for our Indian wrestling's extraordinary champions. You have to achieve something big to earn a place on this wall. When world champion Manisha returns to the academy, she will put up her own photograph.

All the trainees will be here for that moment. Perhaps, the next time you visit, you will find her photo there," he said with unmistakable pride.It was an evening on Saturday when the day's gruelling training had already drawn to a close.

The mats had witnessed their share of sweat, exhaustion and fierce contests, and the young wrestlers were preparing to head home. Yet, wanting to talk about Manisha gave them a reason to linger. They stayed back, eager to talk about their Manisha didi -- not merely the wrestler who had conquered the world, but the senior teammate whose training sessions they have observed, whose techniques they try to emulate and whose journey has made their own ambitions seem a little less distant.For this is no ordinary celebration at the Akhara. In winning the 59kg title at the senior world wrestling championships in Astana, Manisha has added another glorious chapter to an institution that has, over the years, quietly built a formidable reputation as a nursery for producing India's finest women wrestlers.For Mandeep, who has coached here since 2010, Manisha's triumph is the culmination of years of discipline.

"When she joined me some years ago, Manisha was regular, dedicated and always looking to improve. She would identify her shortcomings and work on them. Her ground game, once a weakness, improved considerably," he said.The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where Manisha missed a medal, did not derail her. "After she returned, she did not miss a single day of practice. Her enthusiasm remained the same. Her only aim was to give her best on the mat," Mandeep said.

Manisha now gives back to her institution as well. Posted here as a Haryana govt coach under sports quota, she guides younger wrestlers while pursuing her own career.Komal, a 65kg wrestler and Manisha's sparring partner for two years, knows the demands first-hand. They train together two or three times a week. "She is powerful, but she also points out our mistakes and tells us how to correct them. We learn a lot from her," Komal said.

Even when Manisha trailed 0-6 in the world final, Komal believed she would fight back. The 8-6 comeback made the celebration sweeter.Deepanshi Phogat, a 50kg wrestler who has trained here for five years, values Manisha's generosity. "When we struggle with a move or strength, she explains it like an elder sister. She teaches from the heart," she said. For Mahi Singh, a trainee since a year, Manisha has made a world title feel within reach.

"I watch her techniques and ask how to do them. I want to become a wrestler like didi and win an Olympic medal," she said.

The academy's story is also one of persistence. Named after reformer Sir Chhotu Ram, it was once a male-only preserve. In the early 2000s, coach Ishwar Singh Dahiya began training girls despite social resistance. Sakshi's 2016 Rio Olympic bronze brought national recognition and helped transform the modest tin-roofed facility into a modern, air-conditioned training hall.

"We give the children as much time as we can. If wrestling is helping build their future, we must give them our maximum," Mandeep said. The space on wall is awaiting Manisha's photograph. On the mats, another generation is dreaming of earning place beside her.