At the age of ten, Gama Pehlwan’s workout routine includes 500 lunges and 500 pushups.
Gama Pehlwan was a legendary wrestler who was regarded as unbreakable in the arena. Throughout his career, ‘The Great Gama’ went undefeated in international matches, earning the nickname “Tiger” after winning the World Wrestling Championship in 1927. Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt was his real name, and he was known as Rustam-e-Hind.
Gama Pehlwan is regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, having gone undefeated in international competitions during his career. Gama Pehlwan’s original name was Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt, and he was also known as Rustam-e-Hind.
The Doodle—created by guest artist Vrinda Zaveri—celebrates not only Gama Pehlwan’s achievements in the ring, but also the effect and representation he provided to Indian culture, according to the Google Doodle page.
Traditional wrestling in North India began around the turn of the century. Lower-class and working-class migrants competed in royal gymnasiums, winning expensive tournaments and gaining national recognition. Spectators loved the wrestlers’ physiques and were inspired by their disciplined lifestyles throughout these games.
At the age of ten, Gama’s fitness routine includes 500 lunges and 500 pushups. He won a lunge competition with over 400 wrestlers from across the country in 1888. His victory at the competition made him famous throughout India’s royal realms. He didn’t start wrestling until he was 15 years old. People in India were reading newspapers in 1910 that praised Gama as a national hero and world champion. Gama is also revered as a hero for saving the lives of countless Hindus during India’s 1947 split. He lived the rest of his life in Lahore, which later became part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, until his death in 1960.
Gama won a number of titles during his career, including the Indian versions of the World Heavyweight Championship (1910) and the World Wrestling Championship (1927), for which he was given the nickname “Tiger.” During his tour to India, the Prince of Wales presented him with a silver mace in honor of the renowned wrestler. Gama’s legacy continues to inspire boxers today. Even Bruce Lee admires Gama’s conditioning and incorporates some of it into his own training regimen!
