Chandagi Ram #Kaliramna
is One of the best-known wrestlers of 60s and early 70s, who had a huge
fan following throughout the country. Tall and well built, he was known
as much for his wit and humour as for his reach and tricky holds over
his opponents.
He earned his name in the Indian style wrestling and his bouts always attracted huge crowds. His bouts against Mehr Din of Rajasthan for the 'Hind Kesari' title used to be packed with drama. With titles like 'Hind Kesari', 'Bharat Kesari', 'Bharat Bhim', 'RusCom-e-Hind' and 'Maha Bharat Kesari', he was the natural choice for the Arjuna Award in 1969 followed by the Padma Shri in 1971.
He earned his name in the Indian style wrestling and his bouts always attracted huge crowds. His bouts against Mehr Din of Rajasthan for the 'Hind Kesari' title used to be packed with drama. With titles like 'Hind Kesari', 'Bharat Kesari', 'Bharat Bhim', 'RusCom-e-Hind' and 'Maha Bharat Kesari', he was the natural choice for the Arjuna Award in 1969 followed by the Padma Shri in 1971.
Born on 9
November 1937 in Kaliramna Jat gotra at 'Sisai' village in Hissar
district of Haryana, Chandgi Ram passed his matriculation and then
obtained a diploma in arts and crafts. For a short spell he served as a
sepoy with the Jat Regimental
Centre of the Indian Army and then picked up the job of a drawing
teacher in a school. It was his stint as a school teacher that earned
him the name of 'Master' and he came to be known as Master Chandgi Ram.
The turban added to his stature.
Chandgi Ram started his wrestling career a bit late in life, at the age of 21 to be precise. He shot into fame with his victory in the National Championships, first at Ajmer in 1961 and then at Jaiandhar in 1962. In between he won the 'Hind Kesari' title in Delhi in 1962, a feat he was to repeat in Rohtak in 1968 and Indore in 1972. He also won the Delhi-based 'Bharat Kesari' title in 1968 and 1969 and the Lucknow-based 'Bharat Bhim' title in 1969 and 1970. He was crowned 'Rustom-e-Hind'in 1969.
The most impressive feat of his international career was the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok. Competing in the 100-kg class, he defeated the World Champion Amvani Abuifazi of Iran to claim a Gold Medal for the country. Two years later he represented India in the 1972 Olympic Games at Munich in Germany.
Chandgi Ram served as Additional Director of Sports in Haryana and also acted in two rims, playing the roles of Veer Ghatotkacha and Tarzan. Till his last days, he remained associated with wrestling, the game which gave him name and fame. He trained the budding wrestlers in his 'akhara' located on the banks of the Yamuna river in Delhi and authored a book on wrestling, "Bhartiya Kuskti Ke Dav Pench" (भारतीय कुश्ती के दांव-पेच).
Chandgi Ram started his wrestling career a bit late in life, at the age of 21 to be precise. He shot into fame with his victory in the National Championships, first at Ajmer in 1961 and then at Jaiandhar in 1962. In between he won the 'Hind Kesari' title in Delhi in 1962, a feat he was to repeat in Rohtak in 1968 and Indore in 1972. He also won the Delhi-based 'Bharat Kesari' title in 1968 and 1969 and the Lucknow-based 'Bharat Bhim' title in 1969 and 1970. He was crowned 'Rustom-e-Hind'in 1969.
The most impressive feat of his international career was the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok. Competing in the 100-kg class, he defeated the World Champion Amvani Abuifazi of Iran to claim a Gold Medal for the country. Two years later he represented India in the 1972 Olympic Games at Munich in Germany.
Chandgi Ram served as Additional Director of Sports in Haryana and also acted in two rims, playing the roles of Veer Ghatotkacha and Tarzan. Till his last days, he remained associated with wrestling, the game which gave him name and fame. He trained the budding wrestlers in his 'akhara' located on the banks of the Yamuna river in Delhi and authored a book on wrestling, "Bhartiya Kuskti Ke Dav Pench" (भारतीय कुश्ती के दांव-पेच).
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