Wrestling has been around for ages. Over the years, the sport has gained traction around the world, to such an extent that the sport was later included in the World Olympics. You may find this surprising, but a lot of wrestling’s best came from India.
In this post we take a look at some of the best wrestlers that came from India. Some of them have gone head-to-head against international professional wrestlers, and came out tops.
#1: The Great Gama
The Great Gama is considered to be the best Phelwani wrestler in the history of wrestling. He remained undefeated during his career of 50 years as a professional wrestler.
#2: Sushil Kumar
Sushil had limited access and funds, but worked hard to claim his way on the top. He won gold medals during the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, and a bronze during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
#3: Yogeshwar Dutt
Working his way to the top, Yogeshwar is thought of as one of the very best wrestlers in the world today. Among his successes is winning a bronze medal during the 2012 London Olympic games.
#4: K D Jadhav
Jadhave was the very first Indian wrestler who won a bronze medal during the 1962 Helsinki Olympics. In 2001 Jadhav was awarded the Arjuna award and is seen as a forgotten hero.
#5: Jatindra Charan Goho
Goho is the most famous of all Indian wrestlers and also the first to win the World Light Heavyweight Championship in the United States in 1921. He is also known for creating his wrestling techniques.
#6: Udey Chand
This great wrestler was the very first Indian wrestler to win a world championship medal. He was also the very first to be rewarded with the Arjuna award in 1961.
As you can see, quite a lot of the best wrestling professionals come from India. Their stories have inspired many young wrestlers to work hard and train for competing professionally. Who is your favourite and most inspirational wrestler of all time?
If you would like to start wrestling, read our guide that covers basic techniques before committing. Good luck and have fun!