Kirtisna Arya to Become First Indian Woman Wrestling Official at Asian Games
· Sports · Times of India, Sportstar
Kirtisna Arya will make history as the first Indian woman to officiate at the Asian Games when she takes up duties at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan. The 37-year-old from Uttarakhand earned her United World Wrestling Category 1 Level 1 certification in May 2023 while seven months pregnant with her second child in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Accredited as a technical official, she will serve across three roles during the tournament as a referee, judge, and mat chairman. Hailing from Bharatpur village in Haridwar district, Kirtisna overcame strong societal pressures against women entering wrestling to build her international officiating career.
Why it matters
Kirtisna's appointment marks a milestone for Indian women in combat sports officiating, paving the way for greater female representation in technical roles.
Read the original report — Times of India
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