NEW DELHI:
Sakshi Malik
, an Olympic medallist Indian wrestler, has been recognised by
Time magazine
as one of the 100 most influential people of 2024.
Malik's inclusion in the prestigious list is a result of her unwavering determination to fight against the alleged
sexual harassment
faced by female wrestlers at the hands of
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
, the former president of the
Wrestling Federation of India
(WFI).
Alongside
Vinesh Phogat
, a two-time World Championships bronze medallist, and Bajrang Punia, a Tokyo Olympics bronze winner, Sakshi led a protest against Brij Bhushan at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
The wrestlers demanded Brij Bhushan's arrest for intimidating and allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers across the nation.
The protest, which commenced in January of the previous year, evolved into a year-long battle against Brij Bhushan, garnering support and attention both domestically and internationally.
Despite the filing of a charge sheet against Brij Bhushan, he continues to deny the allegations made against him.
"This fight is no longer only for India's female wrestlers," said Sakshi of the movement she helped spark.
"It is for the daughters of India whose voices have been silenced time and again."
Sanjay Singh
, a trusted confidant and business associate of Brij Bhushan, was appointed as the new WFI president soon after Brij Bhushan stepped down from his position.
Sakshi decided to quit the sport the day Sanjay Singh took charge of WFI.
The list also includes several other prominent Indians, such as Alia Bhatt, a renowned actress, Dev Patel, an accomplished Indo-British actor, and
Satya Nadella
, the CEO of Microsoft.
(With PTI inputs)
English (US) ·