SANGRAM SINGH

Sangram Singh has created history by becoming the first Indian to win the WWP Commonwealth Wrestling Championship and become the Undisputed champion. This win completes a journey full of battle for Sangram, who has been fighting battles since his young days.

Following a bout of rheumatoid arthritis, Sangram was confined to a wheelchair but he never lost his determination to do well in wrestling. With sheer guts, he overcame his disease but he was confronted with financial constraints to pursue his wrestling dream.

His battles at a young age, combined with this victory, has made Sangram help aspiring sportsmen meet their needs. He declared that he would soon be setting up academies across the country for wrestlers. He also has plans plans of starting a Professional League for wrestling in India.

“There is a great amount of talent in India but it gets wasted mostly as we don’t dream big. I want to set an example and make them dream. I am also planning to set up wrestling academies in every city where I will give training to the poor, free of cost,” he said in a recent chat with Sportskeeda.

Sangram has already taken the right path on becoming a role model for aspiring youngsters. Recently, he rejected an offer by a soft drink company to be their brand ambassador as he believed that he would be giving out a wrong signal.
Here is hailing the unflappable Sangram.

The sheer size of India’s sporting landscape offers us unsung stories about sportspersons, who overcame grave financial troubles to become superstars. A man-made problem such as lack of resources can be fixed, but what if you were born with physical disability? How would you initiate a sporting journey, let alone chart one?

Every now and then, the audacity of hope often trumps natural problems. The journey of Oscar Pistorious to break the 11 second 100m mark without a leg is one such feat. However, you don’t have to go all the way to South Africa for knowledge about such unsung journeys.

Current Commonwealth professional World Champion Sangram Singh was paralysed due to severe arthiritis, till he can remember. A visit to his local ‘akhada’ in Haryana’s Madina village, saw him first experience the sport of wrestling.

He told Sportskeeda, “When I first saw wrestling i was on a wheelchair, I realised that those were the kind of feats I wanted to do once in my life. I asked the Coach whether he would let me my upper body with them. He saw me and told me that even if I was able-bodied I wouldn’t be able to do it. That was the situation which motivated me to get better.”

From not being able step outside his wheelchair to walking 30 km for training

At the age of eight, Doctors said that Sangram would never be able to walk again. However, after four years of continuous treatment, he was finally started walking. He said, “I first started by taking three steps at a time, I practiced this for a long time. Ayurvedic medicines strengthened my lower body enough that I could start running. Post that I started wrestling.”

After the local village akhada barred him from joining, Sangram walked 30 kilometres bare foot a day for practice. Born to a family of agricultural workers, spending Rs 100 on travel everyday was not a plausible option.

The first few competitive fights were hysterical to say the least. Sangram would collapse to the floor in the first 30 seconds, due to improper balance and strength. After sympathising with his situation, fellow villagers contributed milk and food to help Sangram eat healthy protein-rich food.

In 2001, he participated in his first ever State Championship, Sangram managed win a silver in the 120 kg Greco Roman division. Within eight years, the Mumbai based wrestler went from being physically handicapped to one of his state’s top grapplers.

After two years of mixed results, Sangram surprised strong Greco Roman field to win silver at the Senior Nationals. He was selected to represent Delhi, at the All India Police Games. Sangram said, “At that period of time the All India Police Games used to be the most prestigious event. I won bronze there defeating the number on Greco Roman wrestler in India.”

A major upset prompted an immediate international call-up, from the Indian team. Part of the 2005 national team attending the Senior World Championship in Budapest, Sangram made a call to his village wrestling coach. He said, “I called him and told him that never ever dissuade someone from doing anything, they might take it to heart. He had told me that a serious wrestler is one who represents India abroad. So, now I was representing India.”

Professional” wrestler Sangram Singh overcame Kevin Radford Jr of the US in a hard-fought battle at the Talkatora Stadium on Friday. Sangram Singh had to dig deep to beat Radford Jr and earn the championship belt in the first KD Jadhav Memorial International Wrestling Championship. Read More

Physically disabled, told by doctors he could never walk: World Champion Sangram Singh can’t give up

The sheer size of India’s sporting landscape offers us unsung stories about sportspersons, who overcame grave financial troubles to become superstars. A man-made problem such as a lack of resources can be fixed, but what if you were born with a physical disability?

“It was a really tough fight,” Sangram said after victory. “I had to use all my experience to beat this fine wrestler from the US.”

Radford Jr took the first round while Sangram fought strongly to come back and take the second round. He also took a three-point lead (12-9) after the first two rounds.

The third round saw Sangram overpower his American counterpart 16-11. Redford Jr launched a strong comeback in the next round, narrowing down the margin.

Sangram, egged on by the home crowd, made the most of his 24-20 lead going into the last round to seal the bout in his favour.

Earlier, in the first bout of the night, Shepal Yadav beat Sachin Attri 15-0, who was ruled out with a shoulder injury in the second round . The second bout of the night ended in similar fashion when Sanjay Deswal withdrew in the fourth round with a rib injury, and Pratik Bhakt was declared the winner.

In the next bout, Labhanshu Rishikesh couldn’t use his larger frame, losing to Om Prakash 18-3.

The fourth round of the night which featured women wrestlers — Ekta and Akanksha — with Akanksha finish off the bout in the first round.