It was a very long day for 10-year-old Anshaj Kumar, who lives in Balali, Haryana. Balali is the village of Vinesh Phogat, a famous wrestler from Haryana. The village is about three and a half hours from Delhi.

Around 10 am, when Vinesh's flight from Paris landed in Delhi, Anshaj was given the job of watching over a large pile of desi ghee laddoos (sweet treats) at the village temple. Vinesh was arriving late at night, after more than 12 hours on the road. Many villages along the way wanted to honor her, so she couldn't drive past the people who had come to see her.

All day, Anshaj sat quietly, keeping track of donations from villagers who wanted to support Vinesh. Even though the money wasn’t a lot, it showed how much the villagers care about her. The villagers' donations included small amounts of cash and other items like a turban and sword. The list of donors showed that everyone, from the village watchman to local leaders, wanted to show their support.

As night fell, more people kept coming to donate, and Anshaj kept writing down their names and the amounts they gave. One donor, Sanjay Chowkidar, remembered Vinesh from when she was very young. He said she was like a daughter to him and was proud of her bravery.

Anshaj said that for them, Vinesh is as precious as gold. They were excited to celebrate her achievements and were not upset that she didn’t win a medal. To them, she’s already a champion.

The women of Balali were particularly excited. They remembered Vinesh as a kind and hardworking girl who helped her family after her father passed away. They admired how she fought for her rights and stood up to leaders.

Nearby, some young girls who are also learning wrestling were encouraged to eat laddoos and drink milk to grow strong like Vinesh. One of the young wrestlers, Neha Sangwan, said that for her and the other girls, Vinesh had already won the gold medal in their hearts.

The village head, Sarpanch Reetika Sangwan, couldn’t attend the event because she had just had a baby. Her husband was there instead to collect Vinesh’s blessings for their son.

Finally, the village head of Phogat Khap, Balwant, said that even though Vinesh didn’t win a medal, the laddoos and coins collected were a symbol of her worth. They planned to share these with the poor.

As part of the celebration, the younger residents asked the DJ to play a new song inspired by Vinesh Phogat. The song praised her achievements and her role as a strong and inspiring figure.