Google Doodle honors Indian wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav
January 15 marks the 97th birth anniversary of Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav. He is the first individual athlete to win an Olympic medal for independent India.
Google Doodle today remembers the wrestler affectionately known as “Pocket Dynamo.”
In the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Jadhav earned a bronze medal after defeating players from Germany, Mexico and Canada. However, even before 1952, the Maharaj of Kolhapur noticed the wrestler’s talent. He decided to finance Jadhav’s participation in the 1948 London Olympics. Despite not being used to international wrestling rules and competing against highly experienced wrestlers, Jadhav finished sixth, the highest ever finish for an Indian wrestler in those days.
It is said that his skillful approach and light feet made him one of the best athletes early in his career. Jadhav had also won several State and National Titles under the training of his father (who was also a wrestler) and other professional wrestlers.
However, Jadhav could not continue his wrestling career after the Olympic victory in Helsinki due to a knee injury. He later worked as a police officer.
Chhatrapati Puraskar was awarded posthumously by the Government of Maharashtra after his death in 1984. Wrestling Venue Delhi The Commonwealth Games in 2010 were also named in his honor.