Kavita Devi becomes first Indian woman to sign WWE contract

New Delhi: Kavita Devi has become the first ever Indian woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). 

Jinder Mahal, the current WWE champion, confirmed the news in a special visit to New Delhi recently.

Hailing from Haryana, Kavita underwent training to be a professional wrestler under the guidance of The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) at his Punjab based wrestling promotion and training academy.

She shot to fame after her video, in which she wrestled against a woman wrestler named B B Bull Bull, went viral on social media. She also won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games.

Kavita Devi also has the distinction of being the first Indian woman to compete in a WWE ring, as she was a featured participant in the Mae Young Classic women’s tournament. 

She is expected to begin training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida this January.

"It was a privilege to be the first Indian woman to compete in WWE," said Devi. 

"Participating in the Mae Young Classic with some of the best female performers in the world was a great learning experience. Now I am looking forward to pursuing my dream of becoming the first WWE Women’s Champion from India."

"I’m extremely proud to welcome Kavita to WWE where she now has a great opportunity to become India’s first female WWE Superstar. She is an inspiration to the youth of India and I wish nothing but success for her," said Jinder Mahal.