Gama Pehalwan, also known as The Great Gama, was one of the most famous and successful wrestlers in the history of the sport. He was born in 1878 in British India and became a national hero for his feats of strength and skill. He was undefeated in his career, which spanned over five decades and involved matches with wrestlers from all over the world. He was also a pioneer of physical fitness and training methods, which influenced many generations of athletes. He died in 1960 at the age of 82, after suffering from a chronic heart disease. In this article, we will explore the life and legacy of Gama Pehalwan, as well as the cause and circumstances of his death.
Early Life and Training
Gama Pehalwan was born into an ethnic Kashmiri family of wrestlers in Jabbowal village, Amritsar, Punjab. His family was known to produce world-class wrestlers. His father, Muhammad Aziz Baksh, was also a prominent wrestler, but he died when Gama was only six years old. After his father’s demise, his maternal grandfather and wrestler Nun Pahalwan took care of him, and after Nun Pahalwan’s death, he was put under the care of his uncle Ida, another wrestler, who gave Gama his first training in wrestling.
In 1888, at the age of 10, Gama was first noticed when he entered a strongman competition held in Jodhpur. In the contest, Gama was among the last 15, and the Maharaja of Jodhpur was so impressed by Gama’s performance that he named him winner due to his young age. Subsequently, the Maharaja of Datia took him into training.
According to reports, during his daily training, Gama used to grapple with 40 of his fellow wrestlers in the court. Gama also used to do 5000 Baithaks (squats) and 3000 Dands (pushups) in a day. Some sources also quote his daily diet included 2 gallons (7.5 litres) of milk, 6 desi chickens, and more than a pound of crushed almond paste made into a tonic drink. According to another source, while on a visit to the then Baroda state to attend a wrestling competition, he lifted a stone weighing over 1,200 kilograms. The stone has now been kept at Baroda Museum.
Career Highlights
In 1895, at the age of 17, Gama challenged Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala (the then Indian Wrestling Champion), another ethnic Kashmiri wrestler from Gujranwala, now in Punjab, Pakistan. However, Raheem Bakhsh refused to accept the challenge due to Gama’s young age and low weight. Gama continued to pursue Raheem Bakhsh for several years until they finally met in 1900. The match lasted for two hours without any result. The referee declared a draw and both wrestlers were awarded prizes.
In 1909, Gama travelled to London with his brother Imam Bakhsh to participate in a wrestling tournament organized by Sir John Bullen. He challenged any wrestler who would face him for £250 or £500 per side stake money. However, none of the prominent British or European wrestlers accepted his challenge. He then defeated some lesser-known wrestlers in a matter of minutes.
In 1910, he faced Stanislaus Zbyszko, a Polish wrestler who was considered one of the best in the world at that time. The match took place at Shepherd’s Bush Stadium in London and attracted a huge crowd. Zbyszko tried to avoid engaging with Gama and used defensive tactics to prolong the match. After nearly three hours of wrestling without any result, the match was stopped due to darkness and rescheduled for the next day. However, Zbyszko did not show up for the rematch and forfeited the bout.
In 1911, he returned to India and defeated some of the best Indian wrestlers such as Pandit Biddu (twice), Jiwan Pahalwan (twice), Kikkar Singh (twice), Neki Ram (twice), Gulab (twice), etc.
In 1916, he went back to England and faced some more British and European champions such as Benjamin Roller (twice), Maurice Deriaz (once), Frank Gotch (once), etc. He defeated all of them within minutes.
In 1922, he had his final encounter with Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala at Patiala State. The match lasted for two hours and forty minutes before Gama pinned Raheem Bakhsh down with his famous move, the “Pehlwani Dhobi Pachad”. Gama was declared the winner and awarded the title of “Rustam-e-Zamana” (Champion of the World).
In 1927, he had a rematch with Zbyszko at Patiala State. This time, Zbyszko was in better shape and gave Gama a tough fight. The match lasted for 42 minutes before Gama pinned Zbyszko down with his signature move. Gama retained his title and proved his superiority over Zbyszko.
In 1928, he faced Balram Heeraman Singh Yadav, a wrestler from Kolhapur State, who was considered the second best wrestler in India after Gama. The match took place at Kolhapur and lasted for one hour and 15 minutes. Gama defeated Balram with his usual move and remained undefeated.
Final Years and Death
Gama retired from wrestling in 1936, after his last match with Jesse Petersen, a Danish wrestler, whom he defeated in 30 seconds. He settled in Lahore, Pakistan, after the partition of India in 1947. He had five sons and four daughters. His granddaughter, Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif, married Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Gama had chronic heart disease and struggled to pay for his treatment in his final days. In order to assist him, businessman and wrestling lover G. D. Birla provided 2,000 rupees and a $300 monthly stipend. His medical bills were also covered by the Pakistani government until his death on May 23, 1960.
Legacy
Gama Pehalwan is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. He is also considered a national hero in both India and Pakistan. He was awarded the Indian Order of Merit by the British government in 1910. He was also honoured with the Pride of Performance Award by the Pakistani government in 1956.
He inspired many wrestlers and athletes across the world with his physical prowess and training methods. Some of his admirers include Bruce Lee, Dara Singh, Primo Carnera, Muhammad Ali, etc.
He is also remembered for his sportsmanship and humility. He never boasted about his victories or belittled his opponents. He always respected his fellow wrestlers and treated them with dignity.
He is also credited with popularizing the sport of wrestling in India and abroad. He brought fame and glory to his country and culture through his achievements.
He is also immortalized in various books, films, documentaries, songs, etc. Some of the notable works based on his life are:
- The Great Gama: The Lion of Punjab (2008), a documentary film directed by Riyaz Khan.
- Rustam-e-Hind (1965), a Hindi film starring Dara Singh as Gama.
- Rustam-e-Zamana (1963), a Punjabi film starring Sheikh Iqbal as Gama.
- The Lion of Punjab (2011), a Punjabi film starring Diljit Dosanjh as Gama.
- The Great Gama: The World’s Greatest Wrestler (2014), a book written by Mihir Bose.
- The Great Gama: The Undefeated Champion (2019), a book written by Arun Kumar Singh.
Gama Pehalwan cause of death was a sad event that marked the end of an era in wrestling history. However, his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of millions of fans and admirers around the world. He will always be remembered as the greatest wrestler who ever lived.