1. Early Life and Background
Ravi Kumar Dahiya's journey into the world of wrestling began at a young age, influenced by his humble beginnings and a supportive family committed to his athletic development.
1.1. Childhood and Early Training
Dahiya was born on December 12, 1997, in the village of Nahri in the Sonipat district of Haryana, India. From the age of 10, he received training from the renowned coach Satpal Singh at the Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi. His father, Rakesh Dahiya, a small farmer, demonstrated immense dedication by traveling approximately 24 mile (39 km) daily from their village to the stadium. This journey was undertaken for more than a decade to ensure that Ravi received fresh milk and fruits, crucial components of his specialized wrestling diet, directly supporting his rigorous training regimen.
2. Career
Ravi Kumar Dahiya's wrestling career has seen a steady ascent from junior to senior levels, marked by significant achievements across various prestigious international competitions.
2.1. Junior and U23 Career
Dahiya began his wrestling career in his early teens. In 2015, he earned a silver medal at the 2015 World Junior Wrestling Championships held in Salvador, Bahia, competing in the 55 kg freestyle category. His progress was briefly halted in 2017 due to an injury that kept him out of competition for over a year. Upon his return, he made a strong comeback by winning a silver medal at the 2018 World U23 Wrestling Championship in Bucharest. This was India's only medal at that competition, achieved in the 57 kg category.
2.2. Senior Career
In 2019, Dahiya remained unbeaten while representing the Haryana Hammers, the title-winning team in the Pro Wrestling League. His performance garnered attention, leading to his participation in the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships in Xi'an, where he finished fifth after losing in the bronze medal match.
His debut at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships was particularly notable. He defeated the European champion Arsen Harutyunyan in the round of 16 and the 2017 world champion Yuki Takahashi in the quarterfinal. These victories secured one of the six available quota places for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Although he lost to the defending champion and eventual gold medalist Zaur Uguev in the semifinal, Dahiya went on to win the bronze medal by defeating Reza Atri of Iran. Following this medal win, Dahiya was included in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in October 2019.
Dahiya continued his dominance at the continental level, winning gold medals at both the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi and the 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty, both in the 57 kg category.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Dahiya demonstrated exceptional skill, winning his first two bouts by technical superiority. In a dramatic semifinal match against Kazakh wrestler Nurislam Sanayev, Dahiya, despite trailing on points, managed to pin his opponent in the final minute, winning by fall. During this intense bout, there were reports that Sanayev bit Dahiya, though Dahiya later stated he was fine. In the final, Dahiya faced ROC wrestler Zaur Uguev and was defeated 4-7 on points, earning a silver medal. With this achievement, Dahiya became only the second Indian wrestler, after Sushil Kumar, to win an Olympic silver medal.
In 2022, Dahiya secured another gold medal at the 2022 Yasar Dogu Tournament in Istanbul, defeating Uzbek wrestler Gulomjon Abdullaev with a score of 11-10 in the final. He also claimed a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, competing in the men's 57 kg freestyle wrestling category, where he decisively defeated Ebikewenimo Welson of Nigeria. However, at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships, he lost to Gulomjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan in the pre-quarterfinals.
3. Awards and Recognition
Ravi Kumar Dahiya has been honored with several prestigious awards and monetary rewards in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Indian wrestling.
3.1. National Awards
In 2021, Dahiya was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, which is the highest sporting honor in India.
3.2. Monetary Rewards
For winning the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, Ravi Kumar Dahiya received substantial financial incentives from various bodies:
- 5.00 M INR from the Government of India.
- 40.00 M INR from the Government of Haryana.
- 5.00 M INR from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
- 4.00 M INR from the Indian Olympic Association.
4. International Competition Records
Ravi Kumar Dahiya has an impressive record in major international wrestling competitions.
4.1. Olympic Games
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | Tokyo | 57 kg | Silver medal | Zaur Uguev (Russia) |
4.2. World Championships
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2019 World Wrestling Championships | Nur-Sultan | 57 kg | Bronze medal | Reza Atri (Iran) |
| 2022 | 2022 World Wrestling Championships | Belgrade | 57 kg | 6th | Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) |
4.3. Asian Championships
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022 Asian Wrestling Championships | Ulaanbaatar | 57kg | Gold medal | Rakhat Kalzhan (Kazakhstan) |
| 2021 | 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships | Almaty | 57kg | Gold medal | Alireza Sarlak (Iran) |
| 2020 | 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships | New Delhi | 57kg | Gold medal | Hikmatullo Vohidov (Tajikistan) |
| 2019 | 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships | Xi'an | 57kg | 5th | Kang Kum-song (North Korea) |
4.4. Other International Competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2018 World U23 Wrestling Championships | Bucharest | 57 kg | Silver medal | Toshihiro Hasegawa (Japan) |
| 2015 | 2015 World Junior Wrestling Championships | Salvador, Bahia | 55 kg | Silver medal | Mahir Amiraslanov (Azerbaijan) |
| 2022 | 2022 Commonwealth Games | Birmingham | 57 kg | Gold medal | Ebikewenimo Welson (Nigeria) |
| 2022 | 2022 Yasar Dogu Tournament | Istanbul | 61 kg | Gold medal | Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) |
5. Record Against Notable Opponents
The following table details Ravi Kumar Dahiya's head-to-head records against various prominent opponents in freestyle wrestling.
| Weight | Players | Matches | Results | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | ||||
| 57 kg | Zaur Uguev (Russia) | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| 57 kg | Reza Atri (Iran) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Yuki Takahashi (Japan) | 3 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Nurislam Sanayev (Kazakhstan) | 4 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
| 57 kg | Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Mahir Amiraslanov (Azerbaijan) | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 57 kg | Uladzislau Andreyeu (Belarus) | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 57 kg | Jahongirmirza Turobov (Uzbekistan) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) | 4 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 57 kg | Makhmudjon Shavkatov (Uzbekistan) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Kim Sung-gwon (South Korea) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Kang Kum-song (North Korea) | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 57 kg | Hikmatullo Vohidov (Tajikistan) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Petr Konstantinov (Russia) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 57 kg | Nodar Arabidze (Russia) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| 61 kg | Volodymyr Burukov (Ukraine) | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 57 kg | Ali Asad (Pakistan) | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 |