Google has dedicated its latest Doodle to Hamida Banu, a trailblazing Indian wrestler who broke gender barriers in the sport. Today's Doodle marks the anniversary of Banu's historic victory over famed wrestler Baba Pahalwan on 4 May 1954, a match that earned her international recognition and acclaim.
Hamida Banu: Google Doodle Honours India's First Female Wrestler
Despite women's participation in athletics being strongly discouraged at the time, Hamida Banu competed against men and issued an open challenge to all male wrestlers.
The doodle, illustrated by Bangalore-based artist Divya Negi, depicts Banu surrounded by local flora and fauna.
Born in the early 1900s near Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Banu came from a family of wrestlers and went on to win over 300 competitions throughout her career, which spanned the 1940s and 1950s.
Despite women's participation in athletics being strongly discouraged at the time, Banu competed against men and issued an open challenge to all male wrestlers.
On May 4, 1954, Banu defeated famed wrestler Baba Pahalwan in just one minute and 34 seconds. Baba Pahalwan retired from professional wrestling after the match.
Banu's success in international matches gained her further acclaim, including a victory against Russian woman wrestler Vera Chistilin, whom she defeated in under two minutes.
Her achievements made headlines for years and she became known as the "Amazon of Aligarh”. According to reports, Banu's daily diet included large quantities of milk, soup, fruit juice, meat, and bread.
Banu's strength and determination, combined with the conservative attitudes of the time, led her to leave her hometown of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh for Aligarh, where she trained under local wrestler Salam Pahalwan.
"Hamida Banu was a trailblazer of her time, and her fearlessness is remembered throughout India and across the world," Google wrote in the description of the Doodle. "Outside of her sporting accomplishments, she will always be celebrated for staying true to herself."
Google Doodles are special alterations of the Google logo on its homepage, celebrating holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures.
The first Google Doodle honoured the 1998 edition of the Burning Man event in Nevada.
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