Dara Singh: The 'Pehlwan' who never lost a bout
This is a sport (wrestling) that has turned many boys into men and many men into leaders. And it is a sport in which you can be a giant regardless of how big you are.'
Carl Albert
Perfect quote in every sense for someone like Dara Singh. I remember my early teens waiting every Sunday morning just to get a glimpse of the giant Hanuman portrayed by Dara Singh in one of the most popular television soaps, Ramayan. There was instant joy every time the giant stature of Hanuman would appear on our television screens. In the immediate few years that ensued, our visualization of Lord Hanuman invariably would lead us to the figure of Dara Singh in our minds.
But, haan Dara Singh was not just about Hanuman and this is something I realized as I grew up. He was definitely larger than life and when one looks at his amazing record as a wrestler, there will be absolutely no questions whatsoever.
Dara was born in 1928 in Dharmuchak village of Amritsar district of Punjab and like most kids in the state; he too was inclined towards the 'desi' style of wrestling, popularly referred to as Kusthi. It is a style of mud wrestling, which was very popular in the northern part of India during the pre-independence era.
Although that form of wrestling has waned down in terms of interest in recent years, Punjab still has managed to keep the art alive. After dominating the wrestling scene in India in the early 1940s, Dara decided to showcase his skills on foreign soil. He took to professional wrestling and travelled across South East Asia before turning attention to commonwealth nations.
A world champion in every sense
Dara's biggest early moment came in 1956 when he was involved in an exclusive bout with Oriental Champion King Kong and when Dara won that bout, he had announced his arrival on the big stage in the world. The period that followed was amazing for the champion wrestler. Dara became a world champion in 1968 and followed that up with successful defense of his title.
Dara retired in 1983 after an unbeaten career that saw him compete and win in over 300 bouts. Many of these bouts were also watched by many Prime Ministers of India. Dara was inducted into the prestigious Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in 1996 for his invaluable contributions in the world of wrestling.
Amazing feats in the world of wrestling later translated to great success in tinsel town for Dara. He has acted in near 200 films and his short role in his last film 'Jab we met,' as the grandfather of Kareena Kapoor paid rich tribute to the class act that Dara was in reel world as well. But for me, he will always be remembered for his stunning performance as Hanuman in Ramayana.
We will miss Dara Singh!
http://sports.in.msn.com/othersports/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250310489#page=2
Wrestling
Heritage
http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/alegendinourmidst.htm
Dara Singh
Dara Singh was rated by wrestling historian Charles Mascall as the tenth greatest heavyweight wrestler of all time. This heavyweight champion from Amristar had arrived in the UKduring the autumn of 1957 and his British record was littered with drawn results before his famed draw against Lou Thesz at the Royal Albert Hall on 11th December. He later went on to gain fame in Indian films and television, and played the part of Hanuman in the television adaptation of the epic Ramayana.
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