"Amazon Of Aligarh": Google Doodle Celebrates Hamida Banu, India's First Woman Wrestler

May 4 was chosen as the date to honour Hamida Banu because it was on this day in 1954 that she challenged and defeated famed wrestler Baba Pahalwan.

Today, Google is celebrating India's first professional woman wrestler Hamida Banu. The doodle, illustrated by Bangalore-based artist Divya Negi, depicts Ms Banu surrounded by local flora and fauna. It also serves as a reminder of a female's entry into a sport that was dominated by males in the 1940s and 50s. "This Doodle celebrates Indian wrestler Hamida Banu, who is widely considered to be India's first professional woman wrestler," the Google Doodle description read. 

Hamida Banu, widely considered to be India's first woman wrestler, was born in the early 1900s near Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. In her career spanning the 1940s and 1950s, Ms Banu won more than 300 competitions. 

May 4 was chosen as the date to honour Ms Banu because it was on this day in 1954 that she challenged and defeated famed wrestler Baba Pahalwan. He retired from professional wrestling after that.