Tulika Maan is an Indian judoka who is known for winning the silver medal in the 78 kg judo category at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Wiki/Biography
Tulika Maan was born on Wednesday, 9 September 1998 (age 23 years; as of 2021) in New Delhi. Her zodiac sign is Virgo. She did her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tagore Garden. She attended Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Uttar Pradesh.
Physical Appearance
Height: 6′ 0″
Weight (approx.): 80 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Tulika’s father’s name was Satbir Maan, who was a bus driver. He was murdered when Tulika was two years old. Her mother’s name is Amrita Maan, who works as a sub-inspector at Rajouri Garden police station.
Tulika Maan’s mother
She has a younger sister, Vanshika Maan.
Tulika Maan’s sister
Wife & Children
Tulika is unmarried.
Caste
Tulika is a Jat.
Career
In 2016, she took part in the India U21 Championships, Saifai in which she won a silver medal. In 2017, she won a bronze medal at the Asian U21 Championships, Bishkek. In the same year, she participated in the India Championships, Chennai and won a gold medal. In 2018, she won a bronze medal at the Asian U21 Championships, Beirut. Later, in 2018, she won a gold medal at the Asian Cup U21, Macau. In the same year, she participated in the India Championships, Jammu and bagged the gold medal. Thereafter in 2018, she won a gold medal at the India U21 Championships, Jalandhar. In 2019, she won a bronze medal at the Taipei Asian Open.
Facts/Trivia
- Tulika is fondly known by the name Ganga by her friends and family members.
- She is coached by Yashpal Solanki.
- Since childhood, Tulika was not interested in studying. In an interview, she said that she told her mother that she wanted to discontinue studying and focus on judo when she was in class tenth. In an interview, she talked about this and said,
Actually, I am not really good in my studies. After finishing, my 10th standard, I told my mom that I don’t want to continue studying further as I have bigger plans to achieve in the sport. And years have passed and my college (DDU Gorakhpur University) supports me a lot.”
- Tulika’s mother is a single parent and struggled a lot while raising her. She used to drive twenty kilometres to drop Tulika to school on her scooter and later go to the police station to report on her duty. After school finished, Tulika would stay with her mother at the police station because there was no one to take care of her at home. Her mother was concerned about her staying in an environment with criminals and police officers, so she got her admitted to a judo club to pass time. In an interview, her mother said that she was not so serious about the game initially, but later, she became passionate about it. After her mother realized that Tulika wanted to pursue a career in judo, she took some loans and spent her pension funds on her training. In an interview, she talked about her efforts and said,
If I earned Rs 10, I spent Rs 40 on her training and other requirements. I have taken 3-4 personal loans, and withdrawn money from my pension funds… I did whatever she wanted. Zindagi ki kamai laga di (put in my life’s earnings).”
Tulika Maan as a child
- In an interview, her mother said that as a child Tulika was tomboyish. Her mother said that when Tulika had to wear a skirt to school, she used to look very
divergent. In an interview, she talked about Tulika and said,
From the beginning, Tulika was a tomboy. She always played football with the boys. When she would wear a skirt to school, the neighbours would comment: ‘Look how Ganga (Tulika’s nickname) is wearing a skirt.’ It was funny to them. It was strange for me as well. I’d tell her: ‘Seeing you in a skirt is like seeing a Bagpiper (a whiskey bottle) in a car. It just doesn’t look right.’ But judo, that’s where she felt she belonged. Every evening when I’d come home from work to pick her up, they’d say what a good judo player she was.”
- She started training at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bhopal in 2016.
- In 2022, before the Commonwealth Games, the 78 kg category was not mentioned in the event which is why Tulika’s name was not mentioned in the squad for the Commonwealth games. Later, she requested the Judo Federation of India to add the 78 kg category to the event and wrote an E-mail to them. In the e-mail, she wrote,
Kindly add my weight category +78 kg in the above selection, otherwise I have no other option to leave judo forever due to wrong management and selection criteria of JFI.”
- Tulika grabbed the silver medal in CWG 2022 and received wishes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Later, she took to social media and replied to Modi and wrote,
I am not happy with my performance but nothing can be done now. I want to thank PM Narendra Modi for his help as he started the Khelo India scheme. I dedicate this medal to my mother and coach.”