Though not many in the country still associate the sport with women, wrestling was a conscious decision for many who joined the akhada. It was a “natural choice” for Sonu Verma, 20, from Bhiwani in Haryana, now made famous by the boxers. “My father was a professional wrestler, and since I was always a tomboy, he encouraged me to take up the sport,” says Verma, who participated in 2006 junior nationals in 52-kg freestyle.

Others like Panipat resident Rekha Kaliyan, 20, took up wrestling to face challenges. “My brother was a wrestler and seeing him pin opponents to the ground, I wondered whether I could do the same,” the bronze medallist at 2006 senior nationals (55kg freestyle) says.

Among the akhada’s illustrious trainees are Neha Rathi, 2007 Asian Championships winner, and Kavita Sharma, the bronze medallist at the same event.

Raman says wrestling gives respect incomparable to any other profession she could have opted for (she wanted to be a doctor): “It feels nice when parents come and tell me that I inspired them to put their daughter into wrestling. And it’s nice that they choose wrestling as a career for their daughters rather than, say, tennis.” While Raman is employed with MTNL, others, too, hope to get a stable government job some day.