World Wrestling C'ships: Complete list of Indian medallists

India’s journey at the World Wrestling Championships has been one of gradual rise and breakthrough moments.

The country first made its mark in 1961, when Udey Chand earned a bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 67kg category at the championships in Yokohama, Japan – India’s very first medal at the global event.

Six years later, Bishambar Singh upgraded India’s tally by clinching a silver in men’s freestyle 57kg at the 1967 championships in New Delhi. That edition also holds historical significance as the only time India has hosted the World Wrestling Championships.

After those early successes, India endured a long medal drought. It was only in 2006 that the wait ended, when Alka Tomar created history by becoming the first Indian woman to medal at the competition.

She secured bronze in the women’s 59kg freestyle category in Guangzhou, China.

The biggest breakthrough came in 2010. At the championships in Moscow, Sushil Kumar delivered India’s first – and so far only – world title, winning gold in men’s freestyle 66kg.

Two years later, India recorded its first double-medal haul at a single edition. In Strathcona County, Canada, the Phogat sisters made history, with Geeta Phogat (55kg) and Babita Kumari Phogat (51kg) both winning bronze in women’s freestyle.

The 2013 championships in Budapest proved even more productive, as India collected three medals.

Amit Kumar Dahiya earned silver in men’s freestyle 55kg, while Bajrang Punia picked up his first world championships medal with bronze in men’s freestyle 60kg. The same edition also saw Sandeep Tulsi Yadav win India’s first and only Greco-Roman medal – a bronze in 66kg.

Bajrang Punia would go on to become India’s most decorated wrestler at the Worlds, with four medals to his name (one silver and three bronze).

He added a silver in 65kg at the 2018 Budapest championships, and then contributed again to India’s record five-medal haul in 2019 at Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

That year, Deepak Punia won silver in men’s freestyle 86kg, while Ravi Kumar Dahiya (57kg), Rahul Aware (61kg), Bajrang (65kg), and Vinesh Phogat (53kg) all secured bronze medals.

The 2021 edition in Oslo brought another historic first, with Anshu Malik becoming the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at the World Championships, competing in the 57kg category.

Sarita Mor also earned a bronze that year in women’s 59kg.

India’s medal run continued in Belgrade, Serbia. At the 2022 Worlds, Vinesh Phogat added a second career medal – bronze in women’s 53kg – making her the only Indian woman with two world championships medals.

Bajrang Punia also claimed his fourth medal, a bronze in men’s freestyle 65kg.

A year later, Antim Panghal emerged as the newest star with a bronze in women’s 53kg, further cementing India’s growing strength in women’s wrestling.

In 2024, Mansi Ahlawat continued this momentum by clinching a bronze in women’s 59kg at the World Championships in Tirana, Albania.

In total, Indian wrestlers have won 24 medals at the World Wrestling Championships – 1 gold, 5 silver, and 18 bronze.

Of these, ten have come in women’s events and just one in Greco-Roman, with freestyle accounting for the rest.

Remarkably, 13 medals have been secured since 2018, reflecting India’s steady progress and increasing depth on the global stage.

India’s World Wrestling Championships Medalists

1. Udey Chand – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 67 kg, 1961 (Yokohama, Japan)

2. Bishambar Singh – Silver, Men’s Freestyle 57 kg, 1967 (New Delhi, India)

3. Alka Tomar – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 59 kg, 2006 (Guangzhou, China)

4. Ramesh Kumar – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 74 kg, 2009 (Herning, Denmark)

5. Sushil Kumar – Gold, Men’s Freestyle 66 kg, 2010 (Moscow, Russia)

6. Babita Kumari Phogat – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 51 kg, 2012 (Strathcona County, Canada)

7. Geeta Phogat – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 55 kg, 2012 (Strathcona County, Canada)

8. Amit Kumar Dahiya – Silver, Men’s Freestyle 55 kg, 2013 (Budapest, Hungary)

9. Bajrang Punia – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 60 kg, 2013 (Budapest, Hungary)

10. Sandeep Tulsi Yadav – Bronze, Men’s Greco-Roman 66 kg, 2013 (Budapest, Hungary)

11. Narsingh Pancham Yadav – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 74 kg, 2015 (Las Vegas, USA)

12. Bajrang Punia – Silver, Men’s Freestyle 65 kg, 2018 (Budapest, Hungary)

13. Pooja Dhanda – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 57 kg, 2018 (Budapest, Hungary)

14. Deepak Punia – Silver, Men’s Freestyle 86 kg, 2019 (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)

15. Ravi Kumar Dahiya – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 57 kg, 2019 (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)

16. Rahul Aware – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 61 kg, 2019 (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)

17. Bajrang Punia – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 65 kg, 2019 (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)

18. Vinesh Phogat – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 53 kg, 2019 (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)

19. Anshu Malik – Silver, Women’s Freestyle 57 kg, 2021 (Oslo, Norway)

20. Sarita Mor – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 59 kg, 2021 (Oslo, Norway)

21. Bajrang Punia – Bronze, Men’s Freestyle 65 kg, 2022 (Belgrade, Serbia)

22. Vinesh Phogat – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 53 kg, 2022 (Belgrade, Serbia)

23. Antim Panghal – Bronze, Women’s Freestyle 53 kg, 2023 (Belgrade, Serbia)

24. Mansi Ahlawat - Bronze, Women's Freestyle 59kg, 2024 (Tirana, Albania)