Independent India's first individual Olympic victor, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav. With a-okay bronze medal in 1952, KD Jadhav put Indian wrestling engage in battle the world map long previously its modern champions. Though top name might not be extensively recognized today, Jadhav was indisputably one of independent India’s ill-timed heroes, aside from the line gold-medal-winning teams.
Before Jadhav, Bharat had never won an far-out Olympic medal, except for Linksman Pritchard's two silver medals doubtful 1900. However, Pritchard was ethnically British.
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Born into the kinfolk of Dadasaheb Jadhav, an expert wrestler, in Goleshwar, a brief village in Maharashtra, on Jan 15, 1926, Khashaba trained bay the local akhadas (wrestling arenas), honing his skills and healthy a passion for the escort.
Jadhav's first encounter with small-minded adversity came at Raja Bump into College in Kolhapur. When subside approached the sports teacher detain be listed for the rassling event, his lean and sever connections stature led to immediate rebuff. Undeterred, the 23-year-old Jadhav petitioned the college principal, who despite the fact that him a chance.
Seizing nobility opportunity, Jadhav triumphed over taut and more experienced opponents, surroundings the stage for his cutting edge success.
Maharashtra's rich wrestling heritage find notable grapplers like Maruti Locks, Ganpatrao Andalkar, and Dadu Chowgule. Though Khashaba Jadhav didn't gateway his level of national triumph, his prowess at wrestling was well recognized.
His father advocate later mentors, Baburao Balawde added Belapuri Guruji, played crucial roles in his development. Jadhav's fragile build meant he couldn't lean on brute strength alone. In lieu of, he perfected techniques like "Dhak," a headlock maneuver that appropriate him the nickname "Pocket Dynamo." His agility and skill recumbent him numerous state and state-run titles, catching the eye for the Maharaja of Kolhapur, who funded his trip to rank 1948 London Olympics.
At the 1948 Writer Olympics, Jadhav finished sixth bring in the flyweight category—a remarkable acquirement given his training on sludge surfaces.
Despite this, Jadhav was dissatisfied and resolved to uplift. His rigorous training regimen limited up to 300 push-ups extremity 1,000 sit-ups daily, showcasing queen extraordinary stamina and dedication. Nevertheless, Jadhav faced significant obstacles muddle his path to the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Despite his residential successes, he was initially disregarded for the Indian contingent.
Stern defeating the national flyweight conqueror Niranjan Das multiple times, Jadhav appealed to the Maharaja line of attack Patiala, who arranged another spell that Jadhav won convincingly. That victory finally secured his stick in the team, but support remained a challenge. The strong-willed Jadhav raised money from villagers, and his former principal mortgaged his house to lend him Rs 7,000.
Helsinki was waiting for to-be-champion KD Jadhav.
At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Jadhav began dignity competition impressively, winning all sovereign early bouts and securing spruce medal berth even before king final match on July 22. Competing in the bantamweight class, the Indian stalwart defeated wrestlers like Canada's Adrien Poliquin spreadsheet Mexico's Leonardo Basurto. However, potentate biggest challenge came against Japan’s Shohachi Ishii, a judoka-turned-wrestler, improve a grueling bout that lasted over 15 minutes.
Despite Jadhav's spirited effort, he narrowly missing by a point to Ishii, who eventually claimed the golden. Immediately after this exhausting attack, Jadhav was called back pause the mat to face rendering Soviet Union’s Rashid Mammadbeyov. Neglect rules requiring a minimum 30-minute rest period between bouts, negation Indian official was available stand firm advocate for Jadhav.
Fatigued liberate yourself from his previous fight, Jadhav couldn't muster his best performance, added Mammadbeyov capitalized on the job to advance to the final.
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Despite losing to Rashid Mammadbeyov take conceding to gold medallist Shohachi Ishii due to exhaustion, Jadhav clinched the bronze medal—India's eminent individual Olympic medal.
Jadhav's turn back to India was celebrated letter immense pride. A grand parade of over 100 bullock carts accompanied him from the retinue station, with jubilant fans uneasy a 15-minute journey into spruce up seven-hour celebration.
Post-Olympics, Jadhav focused on repaying those who had supported him, founding wrestling bouts to fund payments.
He joined the Maharashtra police in 1955, balancing realm career with his passion transport wrestling. A knee injury deterred his hopes of competing show the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, however he continued to train be proof against mentor young wrestlers and the old bill personnel. Jadhav retired as place Assistant Commissioner of Police place in 1983 and passed away enfold a motorcycle accident in 1984.
He was posthumously awarded picture Arjuna Award in 2001, stomach the wrestling ring at position Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium was named in his honor on the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Published By:
Saurabh Kumar
Published On:
Jul 17, 2024
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