![]() Phogat in 2016 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nationality | Indian |
Born | Bhiwani, Haryana, India |
Spouse | Daya Kaur |
Sport | |
Country | India |
Sport | Wrestling |
Now coaching | Geeta Phogat, Babita Kumari, Ritu Phogat, Vinesh Phogat, Priyanka Phogat |
Mahavir Singh Phogat is an Indian amateur wrestler, senior Olympics coach and politician.[1][2] He is the trainer and father of the Phogat sisters.[3] The Hindi biographical film Dangal is loosely based on his life.
Mahavir Singh Phogat was awarded the Dronacharya Award by the Government of India in 2016.[4][5] He is the father and coach of Geeta Phogat,[6][7] who won India's first gold medal in women's wrestling in the 55 kg freestyle category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and the first Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Olympics, and Babita Kumari, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships,[8] and won the gold medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games.[9] Phogat's niece, Vinesh Phogat, was also a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and also won gold medal at Asian games 2018.[10][11]