One of India’s most successful wrestlers and a wrestling icon, Sushil Kumar celebrates his 37th birthday on May 26, 2020 (Tuesday). Sushil Kumar is the only Indian athlete to win two individual Olympic gold medals and also the first Indian to clinch a medal in successive Olympic events. Born to a wrestler in a small village of Baprola near Najafgarh in South West Delhi, Kumar was inspired to take up wrestling by his father and cousin Sandeep, who too trained to become a professional wrestler. Kumar’s father Diwan Singh was a wrestler but had to take up driving buses to meet ends. 'I Hope Some Sort of Training Plan Comes Up', Says Wrestler Vinesh Phogat on MHA Guidelines for Stadiums and Sports Complexes Amid Lockdown 4.0.

With the family struggling to put together enough funds to train two children (Sushil Kumar and Sandeep) in professional wrestling, Sandeep stopped competing to help Sushil get full financial support from the family to become a professional wrestler. Sushil started professional wrestling training from age of 14 and trained in pehlwani wrestling at the Akhada (wrestling school).

Kumar later switched to freestyle wrestling to increase his chances of winning more accolades for India and at the suggestion of coach Satpal. Success soon followed and by 2000, Sushil Kumar was already an Asian Junior wrestling champion. In 2003, he won gold at the Asian and Commonwealth Wrestling Championships but fared badly at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was written off by Sushil Kumar fought back into stardom with a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics despite losing his opening bout. Take a look at some interesting facts about Sushil Kumar.

  • Sushil Kumar was born to former wrestler Diwan Singh and Kamla Devi in Baprola village of Najafgarh in South West Delhi

  • Kumar was inspired to take up wrestling by his father, a former wrestler and bus driver and his cousin Sandeep

  • Sandeep later gave up his wrestling career so that the financially strangle family could support one wrestler

  • Sushil Kumar is the first Indian wrestler to be honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

  • Sushil won a bronze medal at 2008Beijing Olympics and a silver at 2012 London Olympics, making him the first Indian  athlete to win two individual Olympic medals and also first Indian to win successive Individual medals at Olympic events

  • At 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Sushil Kumar beat an opponent in just 9 seconds to reach the gold bout

  • Sushil Kumar was the first Indian to win a wrestling world title when he won gold at 2010 Wrestling Championship

  • Kumar once refused an offer of Rs 5 Million for a liquor ad appearance as he didn’t want to set the wrong example for children

  • Sushil Kumar holds a rare feat of winning gold medals in three successive Commonwealth Games (2010, 2014 & 2018)

By 2010, Sushil became India’s top wrestler. He won a Commonwealth Games gold medal and a World Championship gold in the 66kg before etching history with a silver at the 2012 London Olympics. The Silver in London made him the first and only Indian athlete to win two individual Olympic medals. He upgraded to 74kg freestyle and won two more gold medals at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. He was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2005 and the Padma Shri in 2011.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).