Olympic silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya was in Singapore recently as part of an event by Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), the non-profit that has been backing Indian athletes for over two decades.
In a conversation with Connected to India, the 27-year-old wrestler came across as humble and thoughtful, reflecting on the journey that has carried him from a wrestling-mad Haryana village to the Olympic podium.
Ravi spoke of wrestling as a tradition he inherited rather than discovered, shaped by a community where the sport runs deep. What stood out in his recollections was not glory but the quiet sacrifices behind it — the discipline of childhood training, the struggles of limited resources, and the steady support of family and mentors who rarely celebrated openly but never stopped believing.
Tokyo 2020, where he clinched silver, felt almost unreal at first, as he recalled during the chat. Competing in empty arenas under COVID restrictions, he admitted that the medal only felt significant once he returned to India and was swept up by the warmth of thousands who welcomed him home. That, he said, was when he understood the scale of his achievement.
For Ravi, OGQ has been more than just an organisation. Associated with them since his teens, he describes their support as familial — helping him focus entirely on sport without distraction.
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, he is realistic about the demands of a combat sport but remains determined to give his all, knowing that both hard work and destiny shape champions.
Watch the full interview here to find out more about the Olympian and his story.
