Bajrang Punia: Set To Receive A Well Deserved Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

Wrestling which is one of the oldest sports also happens to be popular Indian sport since ancient times. The stories of great wrestlers have been part of Indian mythological stories. In ancient India wrestling was known as Malla-yuddha, and Bhim a central character of the epic Mahabharata was considered to be a great wrestler of the time. 

However, soon after the Mughal invasion the influence of Iranian and Mongolian wrestling got incorporated into the local wrestling style and is the modern form of Pehelwani that we see now. Wrestling is also known as Dangal or Khusti and the wrestlers are called Pehelwans.
In Recent years Indian wrestlers both men and women have made the country very proud. They have put up very impressive shows during their participation in various events internationally.
Bajrang Punia is one such wrestler who in recent times has made his mark in the wrestling circuit. Born in Khudan village in Haryana Bajrang started wrestling at the tender age of 7.His family shifted to Sonepat where he trained at the regional centre of Sports Authority of India.
In 2013, Bajrang won the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 60 kg category. In 2014, in Glasgow, Scotland he bagged the silver medal in the Men's freestyle 61 kg category. In the same year he again bagged the silver medal in The Asian Games, Incheon, in South Korea. He also won the silver medal in the 2014 Asian Wrestling Championships in Kazakhstan. In 2017, Asian Wrestling Championship Bajrang won gold in New Delhi. He then went to bag the Gold medal in men's freestyle 65 kg category in Gold Coast, Australia. In 2018 Asian Games Bajrang won the Gold once again in the Men's freestyle 65 kg category. In 2018 he also bagged silver at the World Wrestling Championships which made him achieve the number one rank in the world in the 65kg category.
The Ace wrestler Bajrang Punia has been chosen to be awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2019, the country's highest sporting honor for his exemplary achievements that has brought pride to the country.
Punia along with woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat were recommended by the Wrestling Federation of India for the prestigious award.

By: Madhuchanda Saxena
Content: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/other-sports/story/bajrang-punia-likely-rajiv-gandhi-khel-ratna-2019-wrestling-asian-games-gold-medalist-1581445-2019-08-16