Babita Phogat is one of the most famous female wrestlers in India who has played a significant role in changing the perceptions of women in Indian wrestling. She belongs to the famous Phogat family in Haryana state and has broken numerous social taboos by motivating many young girls to participate in sporting activities. Under the guidance of her father, world-famous wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, she turned into an internationally acclaimed freestyle wrestler, winning numerous medals in Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and Asian Championships.
The life story of Babita Phogat and her family members gained popularity after the release of the famous Bollywood movie Dangal released in 2016, describing the life and achievements of the Phogat sisters. Apart from sports, she has also taken an active part in politics and public activities. She became a member of the BJP party in 2019. By doing so, she can promote women’s empowerment and sports nationwide. Keep reading further as this biography blog covers everything relevant about her. Further, you’ll find information about Babita Phogat husband, age, early life, career, net worth, and much more.
Babita Phogat Biography & Wiki
Babita Kumari Phogat is an ex-freestyle wrestler from India, Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and politician from Haryana. The athlete became internationally recognized when she won the gold medal in women’s 55 kg freestyle wrestling competition at the Commonwealth Games 2014, which were held in Glasgow. In addition to the mentioned achievement, she won silver medals at the Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi and Commonwealth Games 2018 on the Gold Coast.
This makes her one of the most successful female wrestlers in India. The famous Phogat family gave the world this remarkable athlete. Her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, who is also a wrestler, trained his daughters despite the strong opposition of local people in rural Haryana. Today Babita is famous not only for being a successful athlete but also for developing women’s sports in India.
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Babita Kumari Phogat |
| Date of Birth | November 20, 1989 |
| Age | 36 years old |
| Birthplace | Balali Village, Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Politician and former wrestler |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Marital Status | Married |
Babita Phogat Age
She came into this world on November 20, 1989. Accordingly, Babita Phogat is 36 years old. She is yet to celebrate her birthday this year.
Early Life of Babita Phogat
Babita Phogat was born on 20 November 1989 in Balali village, currently located in Charkhi Dadri district, Haryana. She was brought up in a traditional Jat family where wrestling was considered unsuitable for girls. Girls who were wrestlers were subjected to criticism in their younger years. But Babita’s father was against this societal norm. Mahavir Singh Phogat, a wrestler himself, wanted to produce top-class wrestlers in his family. As he did not have any sons at the time, he thought of training his daughters like boys. Babita and her sister Geeta followed a rigorous training regime that began before dawn. Training involved running for several kilometers, weight training, wrestling practice, and a very restrictive diet.
Initially, the family was ridiculed in their locality because it was believed that girls belong in the house to do the household chores only. Babita’s efforts, along with the firm support of her father, started changing the mindset of people. Her performance in the national and international events made it clear that Haryana is one of the strongest states in India as far as wrestling by girls is concerned. As a child, Babita used to train mostly with boys as there were very few girls’ wrestlers in her village. Wrestling with stronger competitors helped her improve skills, build confidence, and become physically stronger.
School & College Education
The name of her school institution is not mentioned in any public records. For higher studies, she joined the University of Rajasthan and graduated with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree. Babita’s academic journey didn’t end there. She went on to pursue an MBA degree in Human Resources from Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU Rohtak).
| Field | Details |
| School | Unknown |
| College | University of Rajasthan Maharishi Dayanand University |
| Qualification | Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree MBA degree in Human Resources |
Babita Phogat Height and Physical Appearance
| Field | Details |
| Height | 5 feet and 3 inches |
| Weight | 55 kgs |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Skin Color | Wheatish |
| Appearance | Athletic and toned body |
Family Members of Babita Phogat
Babita is a member of the Phogat family of wrestlers, which is popular for championing female wrestling. The wrestling champion comes from a family whose father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, was an amateur wrestler and coach and had changed social conventions through coaching his daughters in wrestling, thus making them champions and ensuring that the Phogats became the most successful family in sports in India.
The wrestler’s mother is Daya Kaur (also referred to as Daya Shobha Kaur). Babita’s mother played a huge role in the family by ensuring that they stayed on track throughout their rigorous training period ensuring that her daughters maintained a strict diet when training.
The young wrestler grew up alongside her sisters, who also became wrestlers. She has an elder sister, Geeta Phogat, who was the first Indian female wrestler to win a Commonwealth Gold medal. Other sisters who were also wrestlers include Ritu Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat, who wrestled on behalf of India, whereas Vinesh Phogat, who happens to be Babita’s cousin, was one of India’s best international wrestlers.
| Field | Details |
| Father | Mahavir Singh Phogat (Former wrestler and coach) |
| Mother | Daya Shobha Kaur |
| Siblings | Brother – Dushyant Phogat Sisters – Sangeeta, Ritu and Geeta |
Career & Professional Journey
Babita Phogat got into wrestling with her father, coach Mahavir Singh Phogat, who was responsible for training many talented wrestlers, even when women’s wrestling was poorly developed in India. Babita was born in Haryana state and practiced actively since childhood together with boys, developing her strength and endurance and learning new wrestling techniques. The young wrestler was successful in national tournaments, which gave her a chance to move to international tournaments. She won the gold medal at the 2009 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in the 51 kg weight class and took another gold at the 2011 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in Melbourne in the 51 kg weight class. Thus, Babita Phogat became one of the leading female freestyle wrestlers in India.
Babita’s success in the Commonwealth Games began in 2010 when she won the silver medal in the 51 kg freestyle event at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Four years later, in 2014, she achieved the peak of her success, winning the gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the 55 kg weight class. Babita beat Canadian Brittanee Laverdure in the final match. Thus, Babita Phogat became the second Indian woman, after her sister Geeta Phogat, to win a gold medal in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games. Later, Babita continued her success by winning the silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in the 53 kg weight class. In this way, Babita Phogat became the only Indian wrestler who won three medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Outside the Commonwealth, the athlete often represented India in international competitions. In 2012, Babita Phogat entered into the history of women’s wrestling, winning the bronze medal at the World Wrestling Championships, thus becoming one of the few women of India who won medals at such a high-level tournament. Besides, in 2013, she added another international medal, winning a bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships. These achievements helped her to get a quota for participating in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, realizing her lifelong dream for a lifetime. However, despite her high level, Babita failed to win any medals at the Rio Olympics, but the participation in the Olympics is undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in her career.
Now, after over ten years in wrestling, Babita changed her career. In 2019, the athlete ended her activity in wrestling and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). At the same time, Babita ran in the Haryana Legislative Assembly elections from the Dadri constituency, which marked the beginning of her political career. From that time, she continued doing public work, promoting sports and women’s empowerment, and supporting the youth.
Babita Phogat Husband & Kids
Babita Phogat is married to Vivek Suhag, who is a national-level wrestler from Najafgarh, Delhi. It is believed that they met each other during a wrestling match in 2014 and then started a friendship. After dating each other for many years, they got married on December 1, 2019, in Balali village in Haryana.
The marriage of both the wrestlers was covered extensively in the media because their union created headlines as it united two prominent wrestlers. Later on, the couple also participated in Nach Baliye Season 9, which was a dancing reality show. In January 2021, Babita, along with her spouse, welcomed a baby boy named Ace. Babita revealed this good news via social media, where she posted some pictures of herself with her husband and the baby.
| Field | Details |
| Husband | Vivek Suhag |
| Marriage | December 1, 2019 |
| Past Relationships/Rumours | Unknown |
| Kids | Son – Ace Suhag |
Achievements & Awards
- Won a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
- Won three medals in the Commonwealth Games (one Gold, two Silvers).
- Bronze Medalist at 2012 World Wrestling Championship.
- Won a Bronze Medal at the 2013 Asian Wrestling Championship.
- Participated for India in the Rio Olympics 2016.
- From the renowned Phogat wrestling family that was the inspiration behind the Bollywood film “Dangal”.
Babita Phogat Net Worth 2026
Babita Phogat’s net worth is approximately INR 30 crores as of now. Please note that this figure is based on estimates and it’s not her real-time net worth. Her sources of income are former wrestling income, government salary, politics, brand deals, TV shows, and public events. Babita continues to grow her wealth day by day.
Social Media Handles
| Platform | Username | Followers |
| @babitaphogatofficial | 254K+ | |
| X | @babitaphogat | 661K+ |
| @officialbabitaphogat | 1 million+ |
Trivia
- Babita Phogat is the daughter of legendary wrestler coach Mahavir Singh Phogat.
- She is part of the renowned Phogat family from Haryana.
- She took up the sport during the period when few Indian women indulged in it.
- Babita would train with male wrestlers in her early days.
- She clinched her first gold medal in international competition in 2009 in the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship.
- Babita was the second Indian woman to win a gold medal in wrestling in the Commonwealth Games.
- Babita competed in the 2016 Olympic Games for India.
- She danced on the popular show Nach Baliye 9 along with her husband, Vivek Suhag.
- The Bollywood movie Dangal of 2016 depicted Babita’s real-life struggle in the ring.
- Babita joined the BJP party in 2019 upon her retirement from wrestling.
- Babita and Vivek got blessed with their first child, a boy, in 2021.
- Babita has inspired many women in rural areas of India to take up wrestling.
- She has been participating in women’s empowerment and sports development programs regularly.
- Several cash rewards have been given to Babita by the government of Haryana.
- She has won medals in Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and Asian Championships.
FAQs
She is currently 36 years old.
She is married to Vivek Suhag.
Babita only has a son named Ace Suhag.
She originates from Balali Village, Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, India.
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