The Aryan race conquered India centuries ago, giving it many positive attribute. Perhaps the most important of these was the beauty of their women. Oh, and a warrior spirit. So, here’s a beautiful Indian woman with a warrior spirit.

Sonika Kaliraman

Sonika Kaliraman is a rarity – she is one of 200 Indian women who wrestle professionally, and one of only about 50 women who can represent India in international championships.

She is tall and graceful – and it’s hard to imagine her tossing opponents onto a wrestling mat.

But Sonika, 26, is the daughter of India’s wrestling champion, Chandgi Ram.

She has been living her father’s dream for 10 years now, and hopes for success in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi. She won gold at the Asian Women Wrestling Championship in 2000.

BBC

Sonika proudly talks about her family of wrestlers and her father, “I belong to a family of wrestlers and my father has been a very well known name in the Indian wrestling community. It was because of my father that I was forced to learn the game. Women’s wrestling is not popular in India. Since kushti is considered a male domain, my father encouraged me to excel in the game.”

SonikaKaliraman.com