Pincky Balhara: Who is 1st Indian kurash wrestler to win 2 Asian Games medals?
Indian female kurash wrestler Pincky Balhara became the first Indian to win two Asian Games medals in kurash after winning bronze in Japan on Monday. The 27-year-old returned to the podium in a different weight category eight years after winning a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta – here is her story.
Balhara lost 5–0 to South Korea’s Mo Sumin in the women’s under-78 kg semi-final in Aichi-Nagoya. She had already secured a medal by beating another South Korean, Lim Garam, 3–0 in the quarter-finals, with both losing semi-finalists awarded bronze.
The result gives Balhara two of India’s three Asian Games medals in the Uzbek martial art. Malaprabha Jadhav won the other, a bronze, in 2018.
BRONZE FOR BHARAT IN KURASH! 🥉
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 28, 2026
Heartiest congratulations to Pinkcy Balhara on winning the Bronze Medal in Women’s -78kg Kurash at the #AsianGames2026!
Kurash is an ancient Central Asian folk wrestling style focused entirely on standing throws. Unlike judo or traditional… pic.twitter.com/I7YMza2Zfz
Balhara was 19 when she reached the under-52 kg final in Jakarta, where kurash made its Asian Games debut. She beat Uzbekistan’s Oysuluv Abdumajidova in the semi-final before losing to another Uzbek, Gulnor Sulaymanova, in the gold-medal bout, Mint reports.
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Balhara’s bumpy wrestling career
Balhara, a judoka, missed out on India’s judo squad for Jakarta before making the kurash team. She earned a silver medal for that alternative route and has since added a bronze.
Behind her first Asian Games medal was a family bereaved by three losses. Balhara told The Times of India that three months before Jakarta 2018, she had lost her cousin, father, and grandfather. Her father died of a heart attack just days after celebrating her selection.
She wanted to withdraw from the upcoming national judo championships of the International Kurash Association but was encouraged to continue in memory of her father’s support. With only five days to prepare after the funeral, she won bronze.
Her father had promised to travel to Jakarta to see her compete. She usually avoided her parents during training because they made her nervous. «But I’d have been delighted to have him here,» she said after winning silver.
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What is kurash?
Kurash is a traditional Uzbek martial art in which competitors use jacket grips, throws, and leg sweeps to force their opponent to the mat.
The main difference from judo is that there is no ground fighting. The rules of the International Kurash Association require that action be carried out while standing. Armlocks, chokeholds, kicks, and grips below the belt are not allowed.
The emphasis on balance and throwing technique contributes to the crossover for athletes like Balhara. Kurash has been a part of the Asian Games programme since 2018, giving the sport a continental platform beyond its Central Asian roots.
