Google Doodle honors Hamida Banu, India’s first professional woman wrestler

Born in the early 1900s near Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Hamida Banu hailed from a family deeply entrenched in wrestling. On this day in 1954, she garnered global fame with her victory over renowned wrestler Baba Pahalwan.

Hamida Banu
Hamida Banu is widely considered to be India’s first professional woman wrestler.

Google honors India’s first professional woman wrestler Hamida Banu through a doodle. On this day in 1954, Banu garnered global fame with her victory over renowned wrestler Baba Pahalwan. The match lasted only 1 minute and 34 seconds, prompting Pahalwan to retire from professional wrestling thereafter.

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The doodle has been illustrated by Bengaluru based guest artist Divya Negi. She said Hamida’s story is both heartbreaking and incredibly inspiring.

About Hamida Banu

Born in the early 1900s near Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Banu hailed from a family deeply entrenched in wrestling. Despite societal discouragement, she fearlessly pursued her passion, clinching victory in over 300 competitions spanning the 1940s and 1950s.

Defying gender norms, she challenged male wrestlers openly, even staking her hand in marriage on the outcome. Her prowess extended globally, triumphing over Russian wrestler Vera Chistilin in under two minutes.

Dubbed the “Amazon of Aligarh,” Hamida Banu‘s name graced headlines for years, with her victories, diet, and training regimen extensively documented. A trailblazer of her era, her audacity reverberates in India and beyond. Beyond her athletic feats, she remains revered for her unwavering authenticity.

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