From Asian Bronze to World Silver: Amruta Pujari’s Remarkable Rise in Wrestling
At just 22, Amruta Pujari is making her mark in Indian wrestling. The Maharashtra wrestler progressed from winning bronze at the U23 Asian Championships in May 2026 to claiming silver at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas in October. Although she missed out on gold, her performance highlighted how quickly she has developed into a strong contender in the women’s 72kg category.
Amruta Pujari Wins Silver at U23 World Wrestling Championships
Amruta was the only Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at the U23 World Championships. She began her campaign with a pinfall victory over Kazakhstan’s Zhibekzhan Sabyrzhanova in the quarterfinal before producing another impressive win against China’s Wenjin Qiu in the semifinal.
The semifinal victory was particularly significant because Qiu is a reigning U20 Asian champion in the 72kg category and had also won continental and world titles at the U17 level in 2025.
However, the final against Ukraine’s Iryna Zablotska proved challenging. Amruta was trailing 0–6 when Zablotska secured a pinfall to win the gold medal, leaving the Indian wrestler with silver.
Despite the final defeat, Amruta’s run demonstrated her ability to compete against highly accomplished international opponents.
From Shirol to the International Wrestling Stage
Amruta hails from Shirol in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district, a region with a deep-rooted tradition of traditional mud wrestling. Her connection to the sport goes back generations, as both her grandfather and great-grandfather were wrestlers.
Her father, Shashikant Pujari, chose a different profession and works at a nearby sugar mill. Amruta, however, decided to carry forward her family’s sporting legacy.
She began training at a small local akhara before moving to the Loknete Sadashivrao Mandlik National Wrestling SAI Centre in Murgud, Kolhapur, around six years ago. The centre, guided by coach Dada Lavate, also provides accommodation for female wrestlers.
Amruta’s progress has been supported by the RUBICS group, which sponsors her dietary and travel requirements.
Maharashtra Kesari Success Strengthened Her Wrestling Journey
Before her international breakthrough, Amruta established herself in domestic wrestling. She won the Maharashtra Kesari women’s title in 2023 and secured two titles at the same competition in Solapur in 2026.
Her early sporting interests also extended beyond wrestling, with handball among the games she played during her school years. But growing up in Shirol, where wrestling has traditionally been part of community life, helped shape her decision to pursue the sport seriously.
Her latest silver medal represents another important milestone in a journey that began in a local training arena and has now taken her to a world championship final.
What Amruta Pujari’s World Silver Means for Indian Wrestling
Amruta’s silver was one of two medals won by Indian women at the U23 World Championships. Komal had earlier claimed bronze in the 59kg category, giving India a two-medal finish in the women’s competition.
Coach Dada Lavate believes the international exposure will help Amruta improve further. Her semifinal victory against a highly decorated Chinese opponent offered valuable experience, even though the final did not produce the expected result.
Moving from an Asian bronze to a world silver within a few months is a significant step in Amruta’s development. At 22, she has time to build on that progress, sharpen her skills and target bigger achievements in senior international wrestling.
