Famous Indian Wrestlers – Complete List
Although wrestling has always been a popular sport in India, continued international success has only begun to come since the turn of the 20th century.
Meanwhile KD Jadhav won India’s virgin Olympic medal, bronze Helsinki 1952, It took India another 56 years to win the second prize at the Summer Games. Sushil Kumar ended the drought by winning a bronze medal at Beijing 2008.
Sakshi Malik, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya have since ensured India’s rapid rise in the sport by regularly winning medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. Indian grappers have also returned with at least one medal from all the 2008 Olympics.
Here we go through the best amateur wrestlers who have made India a pride in the international arena.
KD Jadhav
Hailing from the small village of Goleshwar in Maharashtra, a wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav He became India ‘s first personal Olympic medalist at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
However, KD Jadhavi’s journey to the podium was not easy. KD Jadhavin had to run from pillar to office to get funding when he did not win a medal at his 1948 Olympic debut in London.
KD Jadhav funded his crowdfunding trip to the Helsinki Games, where he lost to a potential gold medal for Shohachi Ishi of Japan before settling for bronze.
KD Jadhav had decided to improve the color of his medal in Melbourne in 1956, but a serious knee injury cut off his ambition.
Udey Chand
Inspired by the heroic deeds of KD Jadhav, Udey ChandIn 1961, he became the first Indian wrestler to win a world championship – bronze in the 67kg series.
The following year, in the Asian Games, Udey Chand competed in the 70-pound freestyle and Greco-Roman events and won silver medals in both competitions.
Udey Chand represented India at the three Olympics in 1960-1968 but did not make it to the podium.
Alka Tomar
Sakshi Malik and the Phogat sisters are familiar names today, but it was Alka Tomar which laid the foundation for women’s wrestling in India.
Alka Tomar won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships in 2005, but made history the following year at the World Championships.
Alka Tomar won bronze at the age of 20 in the 59-pound series to come the first Indian woman to win a wrestling medal at the World Championships. It was also India’s first world championship medal in 39 years. Alka Tomar also won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Sushil Kumar
The popularity of wrestling in India soared Sushil Kumar66 kg freestyle bronze at 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Sushil Kumari became the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the 2010 World Championships. At the 2012 London Olympics then he made him the first-ever Indian athlete to win two personal Olympic medals in any sport.
Sushil Kumar is the only Indian wrestling world champion to date and is also a three-time Commonwealth Games champion.
Yogeshwar Dutt
Yogeshwar Dutt bronze London 2012 Olympics praised Sushil’s achievement when India found two heroes who made their mark on the international stage.
The way Dutt won his medal in London in 2012, even though he suffered a serious eye injury during the event, has been an inspiration to many Indian wrestlers. He has also served as a mentor to future generations of wrestlers, including another Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia.
Yogeshwar Dutt is a two-time Commonwealth Games champion and won gold in the 2014 World Championships in the 65-pound series.
Sakshi Malik
Although Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat were India’s famous wrestlers in Rio in 2016, Sakshi MalikIn the 58 kg series, the competitor quietly did his job and became the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics.
Sakshi Malik won gold at the Commonwealth Championships in 2017 and a bronze at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 before injuries disrupted his career.
After missing the Tokyo Olympics, Sakshi Malik seems to be slowly regaining the lost connection and competing in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Geeta Phogat
Although Geeta Phogat has not won a medal at the Olympics, but is honored to be the first Indian female wrestler to reach the 2012 Olympics.
Although she failed to make a lasting impression in London in 2012, Geeta Phogat made a comeback after disappointing and won a bronze medal at the 55kg World Championships later that year.
Geeta Phogat also became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Babita Phogat
Although Geeta Phogat’s gold was one of the highlights of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010, her younger sister Babita Phogat did not lag far behind in silver in the 51-pound series.
After failing in London in 2012, Babita won bronze at the World Championships in September and represented India at the 2016 Rio Championships.
Babita also won a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Vinesh Phogat
Following in the footsteps of his older cousins Geta and Babita Phogat, Vinesh Phogat has been the flag bearer of Indian women’s wrestling in recent years.
Vinesh has also won gold in the Asian Games in 2018 and is a two-time Commonwealth Games champion. The 2019 World Championship bronze medalist will also have eight Asian championship medals.
Vinesh Phogat represented India at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics but could not win a single medal.
Bajrang Punia
In silver in 2018 and bronze in 2013 and 2019, Bajrang Punia is the only Indian to have won three world championships so far.
Bajrang Punia won bronze at 65kg in Tokyo in 2020 last year and is the reigning champion of the Commonwealth and Asian Games in his division. Bajrang Punia also won silver at the Commonwealth and Asian Games in 2014 and is a two-time Asian champion.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya
Tokyo 2020 Silver Medalist Ravi Kumar Dahiya is also the reigning Asian champion. Dahiya has won the continent’s championship three times in a row – something no Indian wrestler has ever done before.
Haryana grappler has also won a world championship bronze in 2019. Ravi Kumar Dahiya, 24, is still young and has the raw ability to beat most of his peers on the list if he continues to progress at the same pace.
The best Indian wrestlers