Former World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat gave birth to a boy at a private hospital in Delhi on Tuesday morning. He is the first child of the 30-year-old Julana MLA and wrestler Somvir Rathee.
“Vinesh gave birth to a baby boy this morning at a private hospital in Delhi. Both Vinesh and the baby are fine. It’s the biggest joy for the whole family,” Harvinder Phogat, Vinesh’s elder brother, told The Indian Express.
Vinesh had announced her pregnancy in March on her social media accounts.
“Our love story continues with a new chapter,” she had posted along with emojis of a foot and a heart, suggesting that the couple was expecting a child.
Harvinder added that the mother and child will be back at Somvir’s home soon.
“Vinesh will be back home in a couple of days and we all will visit her after that. The whole of Balali is waiting to welcome Vinesh and her son,” he added.
Vinesh, who was disqualified for exceeding the weight limit just hours before contesting the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling final at last year’s Paris Olympics, had announced her retirement from the sport soon after the setback, but kept her options open about returning to the mat.
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“I just want to say that missing the Olympic medal is the biggest wound in my life. I don’t know how much time it would have taken to heal this wound. But as I got love from my fellow Indians, my village and my family members, I guess I would get some courage to make this wound heal. Maybe, I could return to wrestling. I don’t know if I would pursue wrestling or not but the kind of courage I got today, I want to use that in the right direction. Our fight has not ended and the fight will continue and I pray to god that the truth will prevail,” Phogat had said while addressing villagers at the village Balali on her return post the Olympics.
In September last year, she joined the Indian National Congress and later contested from the Julana constituency in the Haryana Assembly elections, defeating BJP’s Yogesh Kumar by 6,015 votes. Haryana congress leader Kumari Selja too congratulated the Julana MLA. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Congress MLA from Julana, Mrs. @Phogat_Vinesh ji on the birth of a son. I pray to God that the newborn baby brings joy and prosperity to the family and that both of you remain healthy and happy.” Selja posted on X.
Vinesh was also the face of the protests against then Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment of women wrestlers.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
