Sachin-like hunger, a world medal at 18: Meet wrestling prodigy Kajal Dhochak

When Virender Dahiya talks about Kajal Dhochak, the chief coach of the Indian women's wrestling team reaches for a comparison from another sport. It is not a comparison of achievements or careers, but of hunger.“Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut for India at the age of 16. Why? Because of his hunger. Kajal has that same kind of hunger to keep improving,” Dahiya tells IndiaToday.in from Astana, Kazakhstan.At 18, Kajal has already won consecutive U20 world titles and made history at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships on Wednesday, becoming India's first heavyweight medallist at the tournament with silver in the women's 76kg category. It was a landmark achievement for Indian wrestling, and one that came on her first appearance at the senior Worlds.The gold she wanted eluded her, but her performance announced her arrival among the senior ranks.Her ambition, meanwhile, stretches well beyond the medal she has won. Kajal's WhatsApp profile picture is the logo of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The Games are two years away, but the image is a reminder of the target she carries into training every day. “Right now, the target is the Olympics,” says Ajay Malik, who coaches Kajal at the Kuldeep Malik Academy in Sonipat.“That is what she focuses on, even during training. She keeps reminding herself that she needs to train harder to achieve that goal.”SWIFT RISE THROUGH THE RANKS Kajal fought until the last second in the finals (UWW Photo) The Olympic logo is not just wishful thinking on Kajal's part. For someone who has already collected three world titles across the junior ranks before turning 19, it is the next item on a list she seems in a hurry to tick off. Kajal's rise has been swift enough to invite expectations of gold, even before she has had time to settle into senior wrestling. Dahiya admits that the Indian camp had hoped she would win the title at her first senior World Championships, given what she had already accomplished in the junior ranks.“Considering what she had already achieved at the U20 World Championships and now at the senior level, we had hoped she would win gold. So, it was a little disappointing, but these things happen in wrestling. We have a lot of time to work with her and help her improve, and that is what we will do,” he says.For Ajay, however, the silver medal is another step in a journey that began when Kajal was a child. She trained under her uncle, Krishan Dhochak, a former international wrestler, before joining the Kuldeep Malik Academy at the age of 14. By then, she had already spent several years learning the sport in her village in Sonipat district, Haryana.Her introduction to wrestling came through her elder brother, who trained under Krishan. Kajal wanted to accompany them to practice, and her insistence eventually persuaded her uncle to let her take up the sport seriously. What began as a child's desire to follow her brother would turn into a pursuit that has taken her to the top of the junior wrestling circuit and, now, within reach of a senior world title.Her progression through the age-group ranks has been striking. Kajal won the U17 world title in 2024, followed by consecutive U20 world titles in 2025 and 2026. She moved into the 76kg category at the U15 level, making the heavier division her home as she progressed through the age groups.At the senior World Championships, she showed that her junior success was not simply a product of competing against younger opponents. In the semifinals, Kajal fought back from a 1-7 deficit against Kyrgyzstan's Aiperi Medet Kyzy to win 10-7, securing her place in the final. She eventually lost 8-6 to Ukraine's Anastasiya Alpyeyeva, finishing with a silver.The comeback was a reflection of the qualities that have helped her rise so quickly. Kajal does not appear to be a wrestler who is easily discouraged by the stature of an opponent or the situation in a bout.“Her confidence is her biggest strength. Whether she is facing a world champion or a beginner, she wrestles everyone without fear. She is absolutely fearless,” Ajay says.Kajal’s style is built around attack. She applies forward pressure, looks to take the initiative and maintains her aggression across the six minutes of a bout. Her mat craft and mat intelligence are strengths that Astana noticed, qualities that allow her to make decisions quickly once a contest moves into a scramble.Dahiya, too, identifies aggression as her defining quality, though he is careful to point out that it can become a weakness if she does not learn to manage it.“Kajal's biggest strength is her aggression. She is the most aggressive wrestler I have seen. However, she can sometimes be overly aggressive, and that can become a weakness. We need to work on that aspect of her game.”The distinction matters as Kajal moves into senior competition, where opponents are more experienced at exploiting openings. Her standing defence is another area Ajay believes needs work. The attacking instincts that have carried her through the junior ranks will remain central to her game, but learning when to attack and when to defend could prove crucial in her pursuit of a world title.For a wrestler who has achieved so much by 18, there is still a substantial learning curve ahead. Dahiya believes her record already sets her apart.“What Kajal has achieved by the age of 18 is something very few wrestlers manage even after 15 to 20 years of training. That says a lot about the kind of wrestler she is and her potential for the future. We have very high hopes for her,” he says. Kajal Dhochak has LA 2028 Olympics logo on her WhatsApp profile (UWW Photo) Away from the mat, Kajal's life is shaped by the routine of an athlete whose ambitions require considerable commitment from those around her. Her father works as a driver in Sonipat, while her mother is a homemaker. Her mother remains closely involved in her career and continues to travel with her, accompanying her through the demands of training and competition. She even tried her hand at wrestling!‘BEHAVES LIKE A NORMAL CHILD’At the academy, Ajay describes Kajal as disciplined and receptive to instruction.“She has never shown any attitude about being a world champion. She behaves like a normal child. We scold her when she makes mistakes, and she accepts it. She asks questions without any hesitation and always takes feedback positively. She is very disciplined,” he says.There is a lighter side to her, too. Ajay says she enjoys herself away from wrestling and is not someone who spends every waking moment in a serious sporting frame of mind.She has recently entered the first year of a BA course, adding college to the responsibilities that come with training at the highest level.Her diet and daily schedule are closely managed, with her mother playing an important role. Ajay says Kajal mostly eats home-cooked food, attends her practice sessions on time and follows the academy's demanding training programme. Sundays are set aside for rest, but the rest of the week is structured around sessions that vary in intensity and focus.The routine is unremarkable in itself. What distinguishes Kajal is the level at which she has already begun to perform, and the ambition with which she approaches the next stage of her career.Her first senior World Championships ended without the gold medal she wanted. Yet the silver has given her an early indication of where she stands against the best in the world, while also exposing areas she must address. For her coaches, the immediate task is to refine her defence without taking away the aggression that makes her such a difficult opponent.Ajay says Kajal had made her intentions clear even before travelling to the championships.“She told me straight away, ‘Sir, I have to bring the belt. I have to bring the belt home.’ That is the kind of determination she has. For me, she is already a world champion.”The belt did not come home this time. But Kajal has already built a record that gives her reason to aim higher.The Olympic logo on her WhatsApp profile offers a clue to what comes next. For now, the target is Los Angeles. The hunger Dahiya sees in her will have to carry her through the work that lies between a silver medal and the gold she wants.- Ends