Manisha Bhanwala overturned a 0‑6 hole to edge Pan‑American champion Abigail Nette 8‑6 in the final at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade.
After a 4‑point deficit, she surged to a 2‑point lead in the final minute with a clean double‑leg takedown that flipped the scoreboard.
Co‑coach Nitin Kumar hailed Bhanwala’s "unbreakable spirit", noting that her grit turned a daunting deficit into gold.
The gold ends India’s 16‑year wait for a senior world title, a gap that stretched back to Sushil Kumar’s 2010 triumph.
With the Olympics on the horizon, Bhanwala will focus on qualifying for the 2028 Games, while the national squad gears up for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.