Kavita Devi On Why She Wears A Salwar Kameez While Wrestling, Competing At The WWE Mae Young Classic
After competing in powerlifting and weightlifting for a number of years, Kavita Devi then transitioned to professional wrestling in 2016. By late 2017 she joined WWE to become the first Indian-born female in the promotion's history.
After training at the Performance Center for a couple of months, Devi made her NXT Live Event debut in April. She discussed how her training has been going when she chatted with Akhilesh Gannavarapu of Wrestling Inc.
"Every day is different, and there is something new to learn every day," stated Devi. "From the try-outs to today, you can see a massive difference in my personality, my life, my lifestyle and my work in the ring; I've improved a lot. I currently live in Orlando near the Performance Center, and I train there. I've learned a lot, and I train with world class athletes every day. So, everything is new, and every day is a different challenge, which is exciting."
Devi may compete in a non-traditional ring attire to some, but she says her gear is a tribute to the culture she was brought up in.
"That was my personal decision, and there was a reason behind my taking the decision," Devi said of her ring attire. "People think that the female talent in the WWE only compete in short tights, when we look at talent in the United States. So that is the idea, the notion that people have here, and that's when I decided to reveal our culture and tradition to the people in the United States, to the world.
"And through this, I also wanted to change the ideas and perception of people in India, and ensure the future Indian female talent that sign with WWE won't have any such barriers, when it comes to ring attires."
Devi's first take of WWE action actually came before she signed a contract. She competed at the 2017 Mae Young Classic which was a ground breaking achievement for the Women's Revolution and for Devi personally.
"The experience was great, and I felt extremely proud when I competed in the Mae Young Classic tournament, and when I stood in the ring wearing salwar suit. Also, when the name of the country was announced, I think that wasn't just my victory, but the victory for the entire nation of India," said Devi.