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AWARDS AND HONOURS

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 11/21/2019 9:43:04 AM

Sushil Kumar: Recipient of Padma Shri

Sushil Kumar Solanki, born on 26, May 1983, is an Indian freestyle wrestler. He was competing in the 66 kg weight division when he won the 2010 world title, a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which made him the only Indian (since independence) to win two individual Olympic medals. He carried the Indian flag at the opening ceremony of 2012 London Olympics. His Olympic medal was second for India in wrestling and the first since Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav's bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics. In July 2009, he received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest honour for sportspersons. On 3 October 2010, Kumar handed the Queen's Baton to Prince Charles in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. Sushil won the gold medal in the 74 kg division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Sushil Kumar was born in a JAT family of Baprola village, near Najafgarh in South West Delhi. His father, Diwan Singh, was a driver in MTNL Delhi, while his mother, Kamla Devi, is a house wife. Before Sushil was born his parents lived in Rohini, Haryana. Kumar was inspired to take up wrestling by his father, himself a wrestler and his cousin Sandeep. Sandeep later stopped competing as the family could only support one wrestler. Kumar trained in pehlwani wrestling at the akhada (wrestling school) in the Chhatrasal Stadium from the age of 14. With minimal funds and poor training facilities for wrestling in India, even for the 2008 Olympic team, his family made sure he obtained the necessary dietary supplements by sending him tinned milk, ghee and fresh vegetables. He is a devoted Hindu and strict vegetarian. He has completed his Graduation (B.P.E.) and Post- Graduation (M.P.E.) from Noida College of Physical Education Dadri. Kumar is presently employed with the Indian Railways as an assistant commercial manager. Kumar started training in pehlwani at the Chhatrasal Stadium's akhada at the age of 14. He was trained at the akhada by Yashvir and Ramphal, later by Arjuna awardee Satpal and then at the Indian Railways camp by Gyan Singh and Rajkumar Baisla Gurjar. After switching to freestyle wrestling Kumar's first success came at the World Cadet Games in 1998 where he won the gold medal in his weight category, followed by a gold at the Asian Junior Wrestling Championship in 2000. Moving out of the junior competitions, in 2003 Kumar won the bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships and a gold at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships. Kumar placed fourth at the 2003 World Championships.