With Asian Games gold, Bajrang Punia shows he is ready to step into the shoes of Sushil, Yogeshwar

There are modern-day sportsmen who are breaking new boundaries. And then there are those, watching who can translate one back to the Dronacharya-Eklavya era.

Make no mistake. The latter are no less than their muscle-flexing, flamboyant counterparts. Nor is it that they lack modern techniques or ways of winning. Rather, it is their quintessential quality of staying close to the roots — mitti se jude hain, as they say — that brings out this eloquent blend of modern-day, yet traditional brand of sportsperson.

One such man is Bajrang Punia, who brought home India’s first gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games on Sunday, edging out Japan’s Takatani Daichi 11-8 in a closely-fought final of the 65 kg freestyle category. The wrestling arena of the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium reverberated with the Jana Gana Mana and the tricolor was raised. And with it, soared the spirits and hopes of a nation that had dampened a few hours ago when the famed Sushil Kumar had crashed out.

“Kaise jaane deta mein ye mauka? (How could I let go of this chance?),” said Bajrang after the gold medal bout. “Yogi bhai se vaada jo kiya tha.” (I had promised Yogi bhai that I would win),” he added.

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It was a medal that the wrestling fraternity needed badly. The day had begun on a disappointing note for them.

Twice Olympic medallist Sushil, a favourite in the 74kg category, had lost in his first bout itself. Shoulders of the superstar wrestler and of those in the gallery dropped as many wondered if India would be able to fetch a medal in wrestling on the opening day of competition.

Sandeep Tomar (57kg), Mausam Khatri (97kg) and Pawan Kumar (86kg) too were edged out, leaving Punia alone in the mix and with a tough task at hand. His opponent in the final was no pushover.

A phone call from mentor and guru Yogeshwar Dutt ahead of his final bout was all that he needed. But before one dwells on the conversation that took place, an understanding of their bond, or the guru-chela parampara as most call it, is essential here.

Initiation into wrestling

As a child, Bajrang had no interest in studies. In a bid to escape homework, he tried to follow in his father Balwan Singh’s footsteps and would land up at the village akhada. Balwan, a farmer and a little-known wrestler was also keen to keep the “family’s pehelwani parampara” alive and did not mind Bajrang spending time at the wrestling arena.

What began as “time pass” soon became a way of life for little Bajrang. He spent six years training under several coaches, but it was finally in 2008 when the 14-year-old found a mentor and a guide in Yogeshwar that his life changed.

“My perspective changed completely when I met him,” recalls Bajrang, who addresses his senior pro as “Pahalwan ji” or “Yogi bhai”.

From wrestling to life skills to discipline, Bajrang tried to emulate Yogeshwar in every sense and it was only fair that at the 2018 Asian Games here, Bajrang did what his guru had achieved four years ago in Incheon.

At the 2014 Asiad Games, Yogeshwar was the gold medallist in the 65kg category (Bajrang had grabbed a silver then in the 61kg category), and four years later, Bajrang has well and truly “lived up to the expectations of his guru”.

Reflecting on his time with Yogeshwar all these years, Bajrang said, “I don’t know what it was but I was addicted (to Yogi bhai). We developed a bond which was way beyond words.

“When he won a medal at the 2012 London Games, it changed something inside me. I too began to dream of such a huge moment. And he too placed his belief in me and prepared me as someone who could step up into his weight category (65kg).

“It was more than just having a mentor. You can call him family, my education, an idol or even someone more than that.”

And what about that phone call today?

Bajrang reveals, “It was very important for me to speak to him. His voice and words are my motivation.

“He knew I was in the final and asked me about the timing of the final. He said, ‘ab zyada der wait nah karna hai medal ka’.

“And then he asked me to call him up after my final bout was over,” said the man of the moment, as he showed his gold medal.

“I am yet to make that call,” he added with a touch of emotion and almost apologetically.

“Bhai ne kaha tha bahut zyada wait nah kar sakte hain. I had to win this. It is a medal that was needed for Indian wrestling and more than the medal, I am happy I could live up to Yogi bhai’s expectations.”

At a time when talks are rife of Sushil-Yogeshwar era — together they boast of three Olympic medals — heading towards it end, Bajrang’s Asiad gold gives a new lease of life to Indian wrestling.

In fact, 2018 has been a glorious year for the young wrestler. He won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Tbilisi Grand Prix at Georgia, and Yasar Dogu International in Istanbul and a bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

And even though it is still early days but his coaches — Georgia’s Shako Bentinidis and chief coach Jagminder Singh— and Bajrang himself did not shy away from talking about an Olympic medal.

“That is what I want to achieve. 2020 Tokyo Olympics is my dream and aim,” said the champion wrestler after his stupendous show on the day.

Impact of Bentinidis

Wrestling has always been his heart but Bajrang could not climb up the rung till about a few years ago. He would compete at major tournaments, win and lose some, but was unable to make significant improvement. In his words, he would never “dwell on what was going wrong”.

All this until he found Shako Bentinidis.

The Georgian coach’s role in shaping Bajrang into a top wrestler cannot be overlooked. Work began on Bajrang’s technique and also the psychological aspect, the one that separates the winner from the second best.

Said Shako here after the bout, “Bajrang is a brave boy, a champion athlete. He is the future of Indian wrestling.

“I see him as the one for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. He has a strong mind and he doesn’t give up. Today, it was going to be a tough bout. He was leading and then the Japanese wrestler caught up with him. The final wasn’t easy and we kept talking to him.

“I told him he needs to stay positive and he did not give up till the end.”

Jagminder too hailed Bajrang’s feat, saying it was a “proud day for Indian wrestling”.

“He has made a lot of changes to his style. Pehle galityan hoti thi (Earlier he used to make mistakes). But now he has slowly weeded out those mistakes and is becoming into a complete wrestler,” the coach said. “The last one year has been very different and we hope he only goes up from here on.

“He is disciplined and dedicated and if he continues this way, there is nothing he cannot achieve.”

Bajrang knows he will have to maintain the discipline and focus if he wants to build on the Asiad success.

The man, who has never visited a movie hall and refrained from watching Bahubali — the one movie he was keen to watch — fearing Yogeshwar’s wrath, says he will not change this aspect.

“Zindagi padhi hai movie dekhne ke liye. Pehle desh aur Yogi bhai ke liye kuch to kar lein (I have my whole life to watch a movie. First let me do something for the country and Yogi bhai),” he says.