New Delhi [India], June 18: Thirteen countries, including India, participated in the Grappling World Cup held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 12 to June 15, 2025. The Indian grappling team performed brilliantly and brought laurels to the country. Participating under the aegis of the Grappling Committee of India, this team not only proved its talent, but also made India proud by winning a flurry of gold, silver and bronze medals and securing second place. In this competition, Indian wrestlers participated in Gi and No-Gi style and won a total of 44 medals with 3 gold, 13 silver and 28 bronze and secured second place in the medal tally, which is a sign of the bright future of Indian grappling.
Gujarat’s Contribution: 5 Medals in Total
Chairman of Gujarat Grappling Wrestling Association, Surat, Mr. Subhash Dawar said that 3 players from Gujarat showed an excellent performance and brought pride to Gujarat and the country by winning 2 silver and 3 bronze medals in the very beginning. Arpit Rana from Nadiad won one silver and one bronze medal. The girls also showed an excellent performance. Rudra Hirpara from Surendra Nagar won one silver and Priya Rathore from Rajkot won 2 bronze medals and contributed to the medal tally by giving an excellent performance. Mr. Subhash Dawar from Gujarat represented the players of Gujarat in Kazakhstan.
Great Achievements of Indian Wrestlers from Different States of India
Gold Medalist:
Abhimanyu
Neha Shaikh
Silver Medalist:
Ravi Malik
Daksha
Rudra Hirpara
Vikas Kumar
Priyanka Rani
Vaishnavi Singh
Tanu Rani
Arpit Rana
Bronze Medalist:
Priya Rathore
Sahil
Rehan Beniwal
Shubh Beriwala
Smart
Nishant Malik
Mandeep
Kailash Kiran
Praveen Kumar
Sachin
Diksha
Savita
Rishu Nagar
Gitika
Sakshi Tripathi
Nidhi
This list is a result of the hard work and dedication of Indian wrestlers. Each player performed brilliantly in their category and raised the flag of India on the international stage.
Rise of Grappling in India
Subhash Dawar said, Grappling is a style of wrestling which focuses more on technical skills, physical strength and strategy.
Last year, also in the Moscow World Championship, Indian wrestlers not only showed their technical proficiency in this challenging style, but also won the World Championship title by winning 105 medals.
Grappling wrestling, a combination of mixed martial arts and wrestling, is gaining popularity in India. The inclination of youth towards this sport is increasing, and Indian wrestlers are continuously strengthening their position in this sport. Due to the tireless efforts and dedication of Chairman of the Grappling Committee of India, Mr. Dinesh Kapoor, General Secretary Birju Sharma, Secretary Vinod Sharma and Vijay Sangwan, players are getting better training and opportunities at the national and international levels.
