Hamida Banu: Google Celebrates India’s First Woman Wrestler, Know About Her Inspiring Life Story and Journey

Hamida Banu Story: Today, Google India is celebrating the remarkable journey of Hamida Banu. While many people are not familiar with her story, Hamida Banu was considered the first Indian Professional Woman Wrestler and Google paid tribute to her through a doodle illustrated by Bangalore-based artist Divya Negi, depicting the wrestler in a pink, polka-dotted ensemble in a fighting position surrounded by flora and fauna. Back in the 20th century, when women were bound by restrictions in education, and trapped in the vicious web of societal norms, Hamida Banu proved her resilience and determination by achieving the impossible. Let us know more about the inspiring life of Hamida Banu, her challenges, and how she broke all the barriers that blocked her success. 

Hamida Banu Biography

Hamida Banu was born in Aligarh in the early 1900s to a wrestling family. She grew up wrestling and won over 300 competitions against both male and female wrestlers during her career, which spanned the 1940s and 1950s. Women's participation in sports, particularly wrestling, which was regarded as a masculine sport in India, was deemed contrary to social norms. 

Hamida Banu Vs Male Wrestlers

According to reports, Hamida used to challenge male wrestlers, saying she would marry the person who would defeat her. Today, May 4, was chosen to commemorate Hamida’s unwavering passion for wrestling because, on this day in 1954, she challenged and defeated renowned wrestler Baba Pahalwan, who retired from professional wrestling after losing to Hamida Banu. Hamida Banu received international recognition for her victory in this wrestling match, which lasted only 1 minute and 34 seconds.

Hamida Banu International Fame

Hamida was extremely popular at the time, and both Indian and international media outlets covered her extensively. Banu, also known as the “Amazon of Aligarh,” represented India at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, making her the first Indian woman to compete in international wrestling. Despite fierce competition, she fought valiantly and won many people's hearts with her determination and courage.

Hamida Banu Personal Life

Fame breeds jealousy and hatred, and Hamida was a woman who defied societal norms, succeeding and triumphing in twentieth-century India. After defeating Chistilin in Mumbai, Banu seemed to vanish from the wrestling scene. According to a BBC report, Hamida's coach Salam Pahalwan once beat her so badly with sticks that her legs fractured and took years to recover. She later adopted a son and lived in Kalyan, Maharashtra, where she earned a living by selling milk, renting buildings, and selling snacks. Banu died in 1986, and it was reported that in her final years, she struggled financially and faded from the public eye.