Google doodle celebrates 144th birth anniversary of Gama Pehlwan who is considered to be one of best wrestlers of all time. His workout routine included 500 plunges and 500 pushups at only 10 years old.
Google celebrates the 144th birth anniversary of Gama Pehlwan who is considered to be one of best wrestlers of all time. He remained undefeated throughout his international matches and earned the name ‘The Great Gama.’
This doodle has been created by guest artist Vrinda Zaveri — celebrates Gama Pehlwan’s accomplishments in the ring but also the impact and representation he brought to Indian culture.
Gama Pehlwan’s real name was Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt, who is commonly known as ‘Rustam-E-Hind.’ He was born in Jabbowal village of Punjab’s Amritsar district.
His workout routine included 500 plunges and 500 pushups at only 10 years old. He came in wrestling at the age of 15. In 1888, he competed in a lunge contest with over 400 wrestlers from around the country and won. It made him famous throughout the royal states of India.
Traditional wrestling in North India started to develop in the late 1900s. Lower class and working class migrants would compete in royal gymnasiums and gained recognition when lavish tournaments were won. During these tournaments, spectators admired the wrestlers’ physiques and were inspired by their disciplined lifestyle.
Gama Pehlwan’s notable titles
Gama Pehlwan won many titles during his career, notably the Indian versions of the World Heavyweight Championship (1910) and the World Wrestling Championship (1927). He was given the name “Tiger” after the World Wrestling Championship.
Gama Pehlwan was even presented the Silver mace by the Prince of Wales during his visit to India to honour the great wrestlers. By 1910, people were reading about Gama in Indian newspapers praising him as a national hero and world champion.
Gama Pehlwan is also considered as hero for saving the lives of many Hindus during the partition of India in 1947. He spent the rest of his life until his death in 1960 in Lahore, which became a part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
“Gama’s legacy continues to inspire modern day fighters. Even Bruce Lee is a known admirer and incorporates aspects of Gama’s conditioning into his own training routine!,” Google wrote.
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