In New Delhi, Google bestowed homage upon Hamida Banu, hailed as the foremost female wrestler of India. The colossal search engine magnate revamped its homepage insignia to exalt the life of the lady who ventured into the realm of a sport predominantly monopolized by the male populace during the 1940s and 50s.

Banu, a native of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, was birthed in the early 90s. “On this very day in the year 1954, the heralding of Banu’s wrestling feat, which garnered her international accolades and acclaim, was chronicled – she vanquished the renowned wrestler Baba Pahalwan in a mere span of 1 minute and 34 seconds, subsequently prompting the latter’s retirement from professional wrestling,” Google inscribed.

Immersed in a milieu of wrestling since her formative years owing to her familial lineage, Banu clinched over 300 competitions amid the 1940s and 1950s. Despite the staunch disapproval of women’s involvement prevalent in societal norms of the era, Banu’s ascendancy shattered the fetters of patriarchy, serving as a quintessential emblem of women’s empowerment.

She audaciously extended an open challenge to male wrestlers, decreeing that the first to conquer her would earn her hand in matrimony. Banu’s foray into the international arena witnessed her triumph over the Russian wrestler Vera Chistilin in a duration of less than two minutes. Often dubbed the “Amazon of Aligarh,” Banu’s triumphs, dietary regimen, and training regimen garnered widespread acclaim.

A trailblazer in the domain of wrestling during her epoch, Hamida Banu’s valor reverberates across the annals of India and beyond. Beyond her athletic conquests, Banu’s steadfast adherence to her passion, unswayed by societal norms, remains an enduring legacy.

Divya Negi, an artist hailing from Bengaluru and the creative mind behind the Google Doodle paying tribute to Banu, articulated her inspiration drawn from Banu’s defiance against the conservative ethos of her era.

“In the pursuit of my doodle research, I delved into the realm of Hamida’s existence. It was profoundly inspiring to unearth her staunch resistance against the entrenched conservatism of her time. Defying the collective consciousness is a formidable feat, compounded further by the gendered intricacies it entails. Yet, despite these adversities, Hamida Banu persisted, emerging victorious,” expressed Negi.