The narrator, Niha, recounts her childhood in a small Indian village, where she grew up with her single mother and her uncle, Raj. Niha's mother, a beauty salon owner, wants her to be a traditional girl, but Niha is drawn to wrestling, inspired by her uncle and the village fairs they attend together. As she grows older, Niha joins her school's wrestling team and trains in secret, hiding her activities from her mother.
Niha's mother eventually discovers her wrestling and is furious, but Niha's passion for the sport only grows stronger. She meets a boy named Raul, who seems supportive of her wrestling, but it is later revealed that he is actually sabotaging her by adding performance-enhancing drugs to her water.
Niha is banned from wrestling for four years due to the incident, and she becomes estranged from her mother. However, her uncle, Raj, investigates Raul and discovers his true intentions. Raul is arrested, and Niha is cleared of any wrongdoing.
Niha and her mother eventually reconcile, and Niha goes on to compete in the Nationals and win several medals. She later represents India in an international competition and wins a gold medal. Throughout her journey, Niha's mother learns to accept and support her daughter's passion for wrestling.
Here are the facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator, Niha, is from India.
2. Niha lived in a small village near Delhi with her single mother.
3. Niha's mother owned a small beauty salon.
4. Niha's uncle, Raj, stayed with them while studying at a university close to the village.
5. Niha was close to her uncle Raj, who took her to the village fair every weekend.
6. Niha was 10 years old when a neighbor's son bullied her, leading to a physical altercation.
7. Niha's mother did not approve of her wrestling.
8. Niha joined the wrestling club in school without telling her mother.
9. Uncle Raj knew about Niha's wrestling and supported her by sneaking extra food onto her plate.
10. Niha's mother wanted her to learn sewing and beauty salon skills instead of wrestling.
11. Niha resisted her mother's attempts to make her more "girly".
12. Uncle Raj finished his education and got a job as a police officer in the city.
13. Niha was sad when Uncle Raj left, but they kept in touch.
14. Niha's wrestling skills improved, and she got a chance to participate in a state-level competition.
15. The winner of the competition would get a chance to enter the Nationals and win $50,000.
16. Niha's mother refused to let her participate, but Niha was stubborn and eventually got her mother's agreement.
17. Niha met a boy named Raul, who was new to the area, at her mother's beauty salon.
18. Raul was friendly and flirtatious with Niha, but she was hesitant to trust him.
19. Niha's mother was impressed by Raul and wanted Niha to marry him.
20. Niha participated in the state-level competition and was in the final match against a girl named Mala.
21. Before the match, Niha's mother gave her "holy water" to drink, which made Niha feel dizzy and pass out.
22. Niha was taken to the hospital, where she was told that she had been banned from wrestling for four years due to a failed drug test.
23. Niha suspected that her mother had given her the drugs, but her mother denied it.
24. Niha left her home and started working as a waitress in a small restaurant.
25. Niha's uncle Raj investigated Raul and discovered that he had added drugs to Niha's water to sabotage her competition.
26. Raul had been dating Mala and wanted her to win the competition.
27. Niha's uncle Raj helped the police arrest Raul.
28. Niha reconciled with her mother, who apologized for not trusting her and for being tough on her.
29. All charges against Niha were dropped, and she was allowed to participate in the Nationals.
30. Niha won several medals at the Nationals and later represented India in an international competition, where she won gold.