Neelam Sirohi, Kajal Dhochak win silver at World Wrestling Championships
Why in the news
Indian wrestlers Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak won silver medals at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships after losing their finals on 28 October 2026.
Key facts
- Neelam Sirohi (50kg): beat Kazakhstan’s Zeinep Bayanova 7-3 in the semi-final; lost the final by fall to Japan’s Yui Susaki, a four-time world champion.
- Kajal Dhochak (76kg): recovered from 1-7 down to beat Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy 10-7 in the semi-final; lost the final 6-8 to Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva.
- Historic first: two Indian women reached finals at the same World Championships for the first time.
- Kajal, 18, was on her senior Worlds debut and has won two U20 world titles; her medal was described as India’s first in the heavyweight category at Worlds.
- Neelam became only the second Indian woman to win a Worlds silver.
| Wrestler | Weight | Final opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neelam Sirohi | 50kg | Yui Susaki (Japan) | Silver (lost by fall) |
| Kajal Dhochak | 76kg | Anastasiya Alpyeyeva (Ukraine) | Silver (lost 6-8) |
About India at the Worlds
Anshu Malik became the first Indian woman to reach a World Championships final in 2021. With these two silvers, India’s tally at the World Championships stands at 26 medals: 1 gold, 7 silver and 18 bronze.
Exam angle
- Match the wrestler with the weight class: Neelam 50kg, Kajal 76kg.
- Remember the final opponents: Yui Susaki (Japan) and Anastasiya Alpyeyeva (Ukraine).
- First Indian woman in a Worlds final: Anshu Malik (2021).