Hamida Banu: A Pioneering Wrestler

India's Pioneering Wrestler

Thick Brush Stroke Learn more

The woman who paved the way for female wrestlers in India.

[{"selector":"#anim-065136b1-be4d-47db-8425-36061eb2b003","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f055e28e-6174-483f-96d5-c62625efc94f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee4e5d5a-87d1-4a69-9177-1d6d7eea2fdf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33153943-4b3b-43dd-a0ed-9d462555a55e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Raised in a wrestling family, her passion ignited early.

[{"selector":"#anim-9612c746-e0e8-4ad6-9f0b-4a98d57701aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58ee2016-51f3-482c-bdd5-9707042879b9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e6a2806-b0e0-4cd2-b9c1-21b7bc93bbdb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f2d8f8d0-dd17-4e53-a28b-828c54de4c39","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Competed against men in a time of social disapproval.

[{"selector":"#anim-c3e93cd9-b508-4dfa-b5af-789cceb43b48","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8fb26fa-b105-4fc5-a82f-c10e924c8e2e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2d4ce57-ad3d-4c35-a36a-e22a4b81b95c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-afe6b00b-86ea-4c77-b8b9-931ca7e8acf2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Dominated competitions, winning over 300 matches.

[{"selector":"#anim-fde6fde3-cc6c-4c35-8c10-0c3a81f80377","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21cab0df-fab0-40be-916c-e30b02fb9515","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3ddb115-0ff3-4627-8349-1e980ab89bda","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8291e50-0fcb-477c-89f3-6e2f84cab862","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Popularity climbed up sharply when she beat the iconic wrestler, Baba Pahalwan.

[{"selector":"#anim-1b4eef39-5de7-45e5-9d9d-7ba8dae71342","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a8c8c67-8b38-41b2-926a-929a1d27c21c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01e0dc75-1e40-46a3-bb31-565633e9e27a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24bba379-f59b-4ce7-b74c-053a23adf280","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Offered hand in marriage to the man who could defeat her.

[{"selector":"#anim-87625d1c-306e-481b-a50f-f13bf0935b95","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69700065-b80e-4043-a9b0-00d78f2ef9a5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9940c298-35b0-4c1e-8199-787378ad4b6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2adf844d-f1ad-4ace-b2f2-7ac07e6edd52","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke Learn more

Earned fame for victories and global recognitions, gaining a powerful nickname.

[{"selector":"#anim-3267d04e-a7f9-49e9-bf5f-b57b067fee3d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd52d51b-0c91-4e02-a67d-f05c26c6c33b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b27958d4-779f-4874-837f-76a682e54e88","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9ffa418-6b79-4499-ba93-f9826f0eb2d0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Coach’s decision “not to go to Europe” broke her and decided to leave everything behind.

[{"selector":"#anim-44efe8cb-c49b-4ec6-a1cf-3f3c52c32ab6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65980a69-ac84-4f46-8d83-473987c86b35","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab943515-a9f9-41ad-836e-2f876d2d7854","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9768cea2-e4d2-4028-a6a1-04e22f579793","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Paved the way for future generations of female wrestlers.

[{"selector":"#anim-8b211bb1-bca7-4342-8188-1b6a29e706da","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f9c8242-9def-40e0-8d16-d4cab404453c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-120790af-d781-45ae-8e59-da02e8cbfde7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7f70832-506e-4ead-9758-2bd8ecb72b4b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Thick Brush Stroke

Google honoured her with a special Doodle in 2024.

[{"selector":"#anim-8d0a3231-325f-480c-9695-d545d84a9cbe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c5d879c-5bf6-4742-9a65-62b88d92bdbd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4677960c-f258-47df-baff-280fba85817f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4dfa828-7987-4a74-a9a1-894d8f5713e5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Thick Brush Stroke Learn more

India's Pioneering Wrestler

Hamida Banu:

The woman who paved the way for female wrestlers in India.

Trailblazer

Raised in a wrestling family, her passion ignited early.

Family Legacy

Competed against men in a time of social disapproval.

Breaking Barriers

Dominated competitions, winning over 300 matches.

Over 300 Victories

Popularity climbed up sharply when she beat the iconic wrestler, Baba Pahalwan.

Enormous Popularity

Offered hand in marriage to the man who could defeat her.

Beat her to marry

Earned fame for victories and global recognitions, gaining a powerful nickname.

Amazon of Aligarh

Coach’s decision “not to go to Europe” broke her and decided to leave everything behind.

Left everything behind

Paved the way for future generations of female wrestlers.

A Legacy of Inspiration

Google honoured her with a special Doodle in 2024.