Breaking caste barriers have been an uphill struggle in India but Asian bronze medal winner wrestler, Jyoti, a Dalit, has braved societal humiliation to rise in the sport and is now seeking Olympic glory.
Daughter of a bank 'peon' in a family of five sisters and one brother in the old Delhi area, Jyoti's struggle began much before she stepped into the 'akhada', something that has continued even after she won the senior Asian medal.
"We used to buy our text books after my father got a bonus," Jyoti, who now holds a Masters degree in Physical Education besides being a 72kg category wrestler, told PTI.
"Nothing has changed. No media nobody has highlighted my achievement. I'm still struggling without a sponsor. But it's not the time to give up."
She got a constable job in Delhi Police but that too on basis of her merit, Jyoti pointed out.
"It takes a lot for a wrestler to remain in shape and prepare for an event. The Rs 19,000 salary that I get is very little," she added.
Two years after making her debut in the ring on the insistence of her father Bholaram 'Pahalwan', also a wrestler, Jyoti first came to limelight bagging a silver medal in the 2004 Junior Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
