Far from the hype that surrounds India’s wealthy professional cricketers, a group of young men learn to wrestle in mud pits, hoping their skills may one day lead to fame and glory.
Wearing only a langot, or loin cloth, the boys — some as young as 12 — pump weights before entering the pit to learn the nuances of wrestling, one of India’s traditional rural pastimes.
Enduring Spartan training and living conditions, the boys are determined to escape forever the poverty of their home villages and make it big on the world stage.
PHOTO: AFP
Akharas, as the mud pits are called in Hindi, are a key part of India’s efforts to succeed at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.
Over the years the akharas have produced India’s finest wrestling talent, including Sushil Kumar, who won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
In the 1990s, the Wrestling Federation of India tried to ban akharas on the grounds that young men found it difficult to adjust from mud pits to the mats used for international competitions.
But Kumar says he owes his success to a youth spent in akharas.
“They shaped both my body and my thinking,” Kumar, 26, said. “If you want to learn wrestling, learn it the traditional Indian away. There is nothing like it.”
The most famous wrestling school in India is Guru Hanuman’s Akhara, located off a bustling by-lane in old Delhi and named after a legendary trainer who died in a car accident in 1999 at the age of 98.
A dilapidated door separating the akhara from the outside world opens onto a courtyard littered with unwashed utensils and gas stoves.
In the center is the sand and mud pit where boys train under the watchful eyes of chief coach Maha Singh Rao.
Some 125 trainees, many of whom live on the premises, follow Rao’s strict regime, which begins before dawn with a long run on roads outside the akhara, followed by exercises and weight training.
They train for three hours after breakfast before taking time off to cook their own food and rest ahead of another strenuous session in the pits in the evening.
Meals are vegetarian, cooked in ghee — rich clarified butter — with a generous helping of nuts and dried fruits, washed down with fruit juice and milk.
“The key to making a good wrestler is speed, technique, strength and stamina,” Rao said. “But it’s not all about strength. You also need to use your brains.”
Some wrestlers, like Kumar, go on to attain international glory. Others with similar talents struggle due to a lack of financial support and poor development programs.
Rao said despite their successes, wrestlers frequently don’t get the credit they deserve.
“The media and sponsors have time and money only for cricket,” he said. “Boys come to the akhara to do well in the sport, so that it can get them a career and jobs. Some are fortunate enough to make a name for themselves.”
Kumar’s bronze at Beijing was India’s first Olympic wrestling medal since Khashaba Jadhav’s third place at the 1952 Melbourne Games.
Wrestling did not feature in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, but India won three golds and three silvers in the seven events contested in Manchester four years earlier.
Many of Rao’s pupils hope to take part at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and the trainer believes India can claim the majority of the 14 gold medals on offer for men.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
RSS