Divya Kakran is an Indian freestyle wrestler, who participates in the women’s freestyle 68kg event. As of 2022, she has won 17 gold medals in wrestling, and she has also received the ‘Bharat Kesari’ title eight times.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
According to some sources, Divya Kakran aka Divya Sain [1]Instagram- Divya Kakran was born on Thursday, 8 October 1998 [2]Twitter- Divya Kakran. Whereas, according to some other sources, she was born on Thursday, 2 July 1998. [3]Divya Kakran Blogspot She was born (age 24 years; as of 2022) in Purbaliyan, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. According to source 1, her zodiac sign is Libra, and as per source 2, her zodiac sign is Cancer.
A childhood picture of Divya Kakran with her father
She did her schooling at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Delhi. She pursued her graduation in Physical Education and Sports Sciences (BPES). Divya attended Noida College of Physical Education [4]Jagran and Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, for her higher studies. [5]Divya Kakran Blogspot
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 6″
Weight (approx.): 65 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Her father, Surajvir Sain, works as a langot seller. Her mother, Sanyogita Sain, stitches cotton langots (loin-cloth that all Indian men wrestlers wear). She has two brothers, Dev Sain and Deepak Sain.
Divya Kakran with her father and brothers
Divya Kakran with her parents
Divya Kakran with her brother
Husband
On 25 February 2023, she got married to Sachin Pratap, a fitness model, in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Divya Kakran and Sachin Pratap Singh’s wedding photo
Other Relatives
Her grandfather’s name is Rajinder Singh, and her mother’s name is Premwati.
Divya Kakran with her family
Fiancé
On 25 January 2022, she got engaged to her boyfriend Sachin Pratap, who is an Indian fitness model.
Divya Kakran with her fiancé
Religion
Divya Kakran follows Hinduism. [6]Instagram- Divya Kakran
Making of a Wrestler
The story of Divya’s wrestling career started back in the 1990s. It was her father’s dream, who came to Delhi in 1990 to become a wrestler. After struggling for a few months in Delhi, he failed to achieve his target and returned to his village. He then started selling milk in the nearby areas, but he was not successful in this business. Later, he decided to move to Delhi along with his wife and started a business of langot (undergarment that is usually worn by male wrestlers). His wife used to stitch the langots, which he used to sell to wrestlers during wrestling matches.
An old photo of Divya Kakran’s parents’ sewing Langots
During such wrestling matches, he used to take his son, Dev Sain, and daughter, Divya Kakran along with him. Divya’s father wanted his son to become a wrestler and fulfill his dream of becoming a wrestler. Divya started developing an interest in wrestling from there and used to carefully observe the moves of the wrestlers. At the age of 8, she started practising wrestling along with her brothers. In 2010, one of her wrestling matches came into the limelight when she defeated a boy with a good lead. She then participated in various wrestling competitions like Gramin Games, Rajiv Gold Cup, National Games Competition, Asian Championship, and World Championship. In 2013, she bagged the fifth position in the World Championship held in Serbia. According to the media sources, Divya’s opponent punched her inappropriately in the match and was banned for almost two years. In 2018, she defeated the Indian wrestler Ritu Malik in a wrestling event and received the Bharat Kesari title. She also defeated the Indian wrestler Geeta Phogat in the same competition. In 2019, she started working as a senior ticket examiner in the Indian Railways.
Divya Kakran as a senior ticket examiner at the Indian Railways
Her wrestling coaches are Vikram Kumar Sonkar and Prem Nath.
Controversy
In 2018, in a conference with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, she criticised him for his negligence in providing financial aid to her. Earlier, she had requested the CM for financial help. [7]The Time of India
After she won bronze at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, the Delhi government didn’t felicitate her with cash prize as she represented Uttar Pradesh. According to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj said,
She lives in Delhi, but only represented the national capital till 2016-17. CM Kejriwal called her respectfully in 2018. We have always respected her, but we cannot give her cash reward because she represented UP”
While responding to the Delhi government’s plea for not felicitating her, Divya, in a press conference, said,
For the last 22 years, I am putting up in Golakpur. My father somehow managed to provide me training for wrestling here. I earned money by competing with boys but the Delhi government did not provide any kind of assistance to me. My family was suffering a lot due to bad financial condition, so I went to UP. Earlier, I had won many medals for Delhi.” [8]Mint
Medals
Gold
- 2012: Rajasthan Kesari competition
- 2017: All India University Championship
- 2017: Senior National Championship
- 2017: Commonwealth Wrestling Championship
- 2020: Asian Championships
- 2021: Asian Championships
Divya Kakran on winning a gold medal in the Asian Championships
Silver
- 2011: Rajiv Gandhi Gold Cup
- 2011: National Games
- 2013: Asia Championship
- 2017: Asian Wrestling Championship
- 2020: Asian Championships
Bronze
- 2011: Gramin Games
- 2018: Asian Games
- 2018: Commonwealth Games
- 2019: Asian Championships
- 2022: Birmingham Commonwealth Games
Divya Kakran won a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games
Awards
- 2018: Muzaffarnagar Ratna Samman
- 2019: Rani Laxmi Bai Award
- 2020: Arjuna Award
Divya Kakran holding her Arjuna Award
Car Collection
- Maruti Suzuki Baleno
Divya Kakran with her Maruti Suzuki Baleno car
- Maruti Celerio VXi
Divya Kakran with her Maruti Suzuki car
Favourites
- Philosopher: Dayananda Saraswati
- Food: Sarso ka Saag
- Film: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
- Actor(s): Govinda, Sunny Deol
- Actress: Hema Malini
Facts/Trivia
- Divya’s family and friends lovingly call her Shera. [9]Facebook- Divya Kakran
- She was born in a poor family. In an interview, she shared that before competing in a wrestling match, she used to consume a packet of glucose worth Rs 15. She said that once her mother sold her jewellery to bear the expenses of Rs 1 lakh for Divya’s preparation for a wrestling match at the National Games. After winning various wrestling matches, she bought back the jewellery. She further talked about her brother. She said,
He left his education, his wrestling career, and everything for me. I have sometimes to attend wrestling camps in Lucknow which last for two-three months. I get accommodation in hostels for the camp, but my brother stays in hotel rooms to accompany me.”
- According to the media sources, Divya practices almost two thousand sit-ups daily to boost her legs’ strength.
