As Kajal Dhochak warmed up for her World Championships final in Astana, her training academy in Sonepat was scrambling to get a web stream of the bout on a big screen. With no television broadcast, coach Kuldeep Malik was close to giving up and resigning himself to watching the action on a phone. But one of Kajal’s training partners, and close friend, Divya Sharma, was determined to get the bout on the smart TV.

“ Arey, coach sahab, abhi ho jaayega. Bout mein 20 minute baaki hai (It’ll be done, coach sahab. We still have 20 minutes before the bout),” Divya shouted as Kuldeep sought an update.

Fifteen minutes before Kajal’s bout, the stream finally appeared on the TV. The room erupted in cheers. “Get all the chairs and grab your places near the TV,” Divya instructed, as the young wrestlers scrambled for seats. Kuldeep and Kajal’s senior, former Asian Games medallist Sonam Malik, watched from a little distance.

The moment Kajal stepped on the mat, the room in Sonepat began to resemble a wrestling arena.…