Google Doodle pays tribute to India’s first woman wrestler Hamida Banu
Search engine Google paid tribute to India’s first-ever female professional wrestler Hamida Banu on Saturday. The world’s biggest search engine released a new doodle on May 4, to celebrate the achievements of Hamida.
“Hamida Banu was a trailblazer of her time, and her fearlessness is remembered throughout India and across the world. Outside of her sporting accomplishments, she will always be celebrated for staying true to herself," the doodle stated.
Born in the early 1900s, Hamida Banu became a towering figure in the world of wrestling during the 1940s and 1950s. She won more than 300 bouts. Aiming to deny the notion that wrestling was only a male sport, Banu stunned the wrestling landscape with her strength.
In 1954, she famously fought a bout with Baba Pehlwan, which she went on to win in one minute and 34 seconds. This led to Baba Pehlwan forcing to retire from the sport. Notably, the illustration of Banu’s doodle came from Bengaluru-based artist Divya Negi.
Hamida Banu's journey in wrestling
Banu was born into a family, which loved wrestling to the core. There were a lot of wrestlers in her family and Banu’s heart chose to follow the same direction.
Despite being discouraged by society, she fought her way to follow her passion. Her belief in her abilities was such that she even gave open challenges to men. She competed with them and even announced that she would marry the first man who would defeat her in wrestling.
Soon, her fighting spirit and dominant bouts made their way into the newspapers, earning her the moniker ‘Amazon of Aligarh.’ Her achievements, dietary regimen, and rigorous training routine were admired by one and all.
Hamida Banu’s story is about a woman who dared to dream before the confines of reality. Her story is not just about his rise to stardom but a reminder that nothing is impossible if you have unwavering resilience and determination.