Hetal Dave: India's first and only professional female sumo wrestler

Hetal Dave is India’s first and only professional female sumo wrestler. In 2008, the woman from Mumbai made it into the Limca Book of Records. She participated in the 2009 World Games held in Taiwan, but went out in the first round.

Dave has no opponents to train with in India so has to practice with male players and also her brother Akshay. Indian doesnt have a Sumo Ring, so she had to practice in natural terrain, and she chose Oval Maidan in South Mumbai. Cawas Billimoria was her coach and her first international championship in Estonia, in 2008. She came among the global top 8 and was included in a list of 150 fearless women by Newsweek.

After Estonia, Dave has represented India in tournaments at Poland, Finland and Taiwan. At the 2009 World Games, she stood fifth in the women’s middleweight category.