WASHIM’S very own Ayushka Pandurang Gadekar has clinched gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships held in Sriracha, Thailand. Representing India in the U-15 58 kg category competition, Ayushka defeated Uzbekistan’s Dilnura Avezova in a thrilling final match. Hailing from a small village Jaipur in Washim district, Ayushka, a student of Swami Vivekananda Junior College, Kokalgaon, is the daughter of well-known wrestler Pandurang Gadekar. Both her siblings Arjun Gadekar and Kalyani Gadekar are renowned national-level wrestlers too. Earlier too, Ayushaka has brought laurels to Washim district by winning medals in various national-level tournaments. She won gold medals in Under-15 championship this year in Noida (UP). In 2022, she won silver medals in Grand Prix 1 held in Gonda (UP) and Jhajjar (Haryana) and a bronze in Ranchi meet. Her success is being hailed by one and all in the district. Congratulatory messages are flowing for the Gadekar family who have again made the district very proud. 

 

WHILE we were all moved by the inspiring story of the Phogat family as portrayed in 2016 film ‘Dangal’, little did we realise that such an inspiring effort at churning children into champions braving all odds was going on in a small village of Jaipur in Washim district. The Gadekar family, is a family of achievers. Their journey has been one of resilence and determination. Ayushka’s father Pandurang Gadekar, though a farmer with small landholding, was himself a well-known wrestler of Washim district. Her mother, Kanchan Gadekar, too was an accomplished kabaddi player. Their three children - Arjun, Kalyani and Ayushka - not only inherited their parents’ passion for sports and determination to excel but also received continuous encouragement, support and guidance to excel in wrestling. No wonder then that the three children are all champions in their own right. Arjun, the eldest of three children, has won a gold medal in Khelo India Wrestling Tournament. Kalyani, Ayushka’s elder sister, has also won national-level gold medals in wrestling. Ayushka’s latest triumph at international stage has adds another glorious chapter to family’s contribution to wrestling.