In Pictures | How Sakshi Malik created history for India at Rio 2016

Malik suffered a major setback as she went down 2-9 against Russia's Valeriia Koblova in the quarter-finals of the event. (AFP)

Sakshi had to wait for over two hours, until Valeriia Koblova reached the finals, to know if she had a shot at bronze medal courtesy repechage rule. (PTI)

Sakshi began her campaign to win the bronze for India. She had to fight wrestlers who were defeated by finalists in the earlier rounds. (AFP)

Sakshi Malik trounced Mangolia's Orkhon Purevdorg 12-3 in the repechage round to advance to the bronze medal play-off. (PTI)

Sakshi Malik and Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan began the bout. 

Tynybekova was in complete command for most part of the clash. Tynybekova grabbed Sakshi's leg and quickly earned two points before adding one more for the Indian's passivity. She repeated her move and successfully bagged two more points to lead 5-0 at the break.

Sakshi could open the scoring only in the second period and got two points after throwing her rival down and out of the mat. She then managed to earn two points again with a similar move to bring the margin down to 4-5.

No looking back for the Indian girl as she took the opponent down to level the scores at 5-5. But she did not stop there and gained three more points by pinning the Kyrgyzstan wrestler down in the dying moments of the match. (AFP)

Sakshi and her coach Kuldeep could not control themselves after her win ended India's medal drought at the Rio Olympics, 11 disappointing days after event began. (AFP)

Podium finish at the world's biggest sporting extravaganza is a proud moment for any athlete. It is more special for Sakshi because - 1) she brought India its first Rio medal and 2) she is first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics. (Reuters)

India is smiling with Sakshi. (PTI)