Rohtak showers blessings, gifts on Olympian

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, August 24

Intermittent showers notwithstanding, residents of Rohtak and nearby villages extended a rousing reception to Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on return to her hometown today.

Sakshi, accorded the status of a state guest by the Haryana Government, was received by Rohtak Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Pradeep Kumar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Munish Nagpal and City Magistrate Mahender Pal at Rohad toll plaza near Sampla.

Escorted by police vehicles, the cavalcade of Sakshi and her family reached Ismaila, the village of her maternal grandparents. Residents of the village as well as nearby areas, including schoolchildren, cheered as the open SUV carrying Sakshi moved towards her grandparents’ house. While villagers greeted Sakshi and her parents with garlands and presented them with cash and gifts, the youngsters enthusiastically followed the cavalcade with Tricolour in their hands. Beating of drums, dancing of girls and women, showering of flower petals, fireworks and smearing of gulal filled the atmosphere with a spirit of festivity.

“I am overwhelmed… Winning an Olympic medal had been my dream. I feel indebted to my family, my coaches, my federation, the state government and all those who supported me in realising my dream,” said Sakshi, the first Indian woman wrestler to have bagged an Olympic medal.

She said girls were not less than boys and they should come forward to make a mark for themselves.

After a brief stay at the village, Sakshi’s cavalcade left for Rohtak. On the way, residents of Gandhra and Kharawar villages welcomed, greeted and cheered Sakshi.

Sakshi then visited Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), where she paid obeisance to the statue of Maharshi Dayanand.

Manish Grover, Minister for Cooperatives, Urban Local Bodies, Printing and Stationery, received Sakshi at Canal Rest House in Rohtak in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Atul Kumar.

In the evening, she reached her ancestral village Mokhra, where an elaborate felicitation ceremony was organised.

Leaders from all major political parties, including the BJP, Congress, INLD and AAP, shared the dais. Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, Congress MP from Rohtak Deepender Hooda, INLD leader Abhay Chautala and state AAP president Naveen Jaihind were present.

Leaders promised their support to the village in all respects. And villagers rained cash rewards, gold jewellery, silver maces, crowns, desi ghee containers and other gifts on Sakshi amid intermittent showers.