She’s come a long way from a girl growing up in a cash-strapped home to a world-class Judo player. At only 25, Priya Sharma—better known as Priya Judoka—has turned into a hero for tons of people who dream big but don’t have the money or chances to make it happen.
Her mother’s sacrifices made her strong
Priya was born on August 16, 1999, in Sirsal village, Haryana, and her childhood was nothing like you could imagine. Her father, Ram Nivas Sharma, worked in a factory, but his health issues, including tuberculosis, often made it hard for him to continue working.
Many people advised her mother, Shela Devi Sharma, to leave her family to pursue a happier life for herself, but she wouldn’t leave her kids, Priya and her son Manoj, to be raised by others. With the household in poor shape, Priya’s mother stepped up and supported the family by working as a helper in a private hospital.1
She Picked Judo to Catch Her Coach’s Eye
As the family’s money ran low, Priya’s mother had to pull her out of private school and put her in Government Girls High School, Madhopuri, Ludhiana. But this proved as a blessing in disguise for Priya. Her new school was big on sports, and her PE teacher gave lots of focus to kids into Judo. Priya figured out that Judo was her shot to get her coach to notice her. She started playing Judo and won a silver medal in 2012 at the district level in the below 44-kg weight category while studying in the 8th grade. This early victory motivated her to keep pushing herself.
In 2017, Priya again won a bronze medal in the below 70-kg weight category at the Junior National Judo Championship in Uttar Pradesh.
After high school, she joined Ramgarhia Girls College in Miller Ganj, Ludhiana, where she pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 2018, she grabbed a gold medal at the All India Inter-University Judo Championship for Women held at Panjab University, Chandigarh. These victories were proof of her growing talent and determination.
Priya’s success in national tournaments earned her a place in the Indian national judo squad. In 2019, she represented India at the World Universities Games in Italy. Although she didn’t win a medal, the experience of competing against top athletes from around the world helped her grow stronger and more confident.2
She also started to share her fitness journey on platforms like Instagram, where she has amassed more than 1.1 million followers.
She is engaged to Jassee Rajput
In February 2024, Priya Judoka got engaged to Jassee Rajput, a bodybuilder and fitness coach. He has competed in prestigious events like the Sheru Classic and Bigfit Classic, where he has demonstrated his talent and earned recognition for his achievements.
It wasn’t easy for them to convince their parents at first, as Priya belongs to a Brahmin family and Jassee is a Rajput by caste. For people from rural roots, getting family approval for inter-caste marriages in India can be a tough climb. But the couple held firm, and in the end, everyone saw how much they loved each other.
She impressed everyone in MTV Roadies Season 20
In 2024, Priya Judoka decided to step out of her comfort zone and participate in MTV Roadies Season 20. Her audition impressed all the judges, and she was chosen by Riya Chakraborty in her gang. Famous for its brutal challenges, the show put her physical and mental toughness to the test and turned her into a familiar name in India’s reality TV world.
Her biography will be updated here as new details emerge.
References
- Priya Judoka’s podcast with Anmol Kwatra on YouTube
↩︎ - “The Tribune” newspaper’s story on Priya’s achievements ↩︎
