Bajrang Punia is a well-known Indian freestyle wrestler and is considered one of the most promising freestyle wrestlers in India. In 2021, he won the bronze medal in the 65 kg wrestling category at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
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Wiki/Biography
A Childhood Photo Of Bajrang Punia
Bajrang Punia was born on 26 February 1994 (age 30 years; as of 2024) Khudan Village of Jhajjar district in the state of Haryana, India. He started wrestling at the age of seven. He was trained at the regional centre of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Sonepat, India.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 65 kg
Body Measurement (approx.): Chest 52″, Waist 30″, Biceps 14″
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour:Â Black
Family & Caste
Parents & Siblings
Bajrang is the youngest of the three children of Balvan Singh Punia and Om Pyari Punia.
Bajrang With His Parents
His elder brother’s name is Harendra Punia.
Bajrang With His Mother Om Pyari and Brother Harendra Punia
He has a nephew named Naman Punia.
Bajrang With His Nephew
Relationships & Wife
Bajrang Punia got married to fellow wrestler Sangeeta Phogat in a quiet ceremony in Balali village, Haryana on Wednesday, 25 November 2020. He took to Instagram to announce his wedding where he wrote,
Today, I have chosen my life partner and it feels like I have gained another family. I am starting a new chapter in my life and I am both happy and excited for the journey ahead. Thank you for your love and wishes.”
Bajrang Punia Instagram post about his wedding with Sangeeta Phogat
Career
Bajrang won his first international tournament in the Asian Wrestling Championship in 2013, by winning Bronze for the country. After that, he went on to win many medals in various wrestling championships including Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and several national and international tournaments.
Controversies
Questioned Khel Ratna policy
Bajrang Punia once openly criticised the government policy of giving the Khel Ratna Award. He said that he would move to the court to question them about the policy of giving the honour. Reportedly, Virat Kohli got the honour Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awards with an achievement score of Zero, while Bajrang had the highest score of 80.
Protest against Brij Bhushan Singh
Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik held a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 18 January 2023 against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). According to them, the WFI officials and coaches were harassing women. While accusing the federation and the WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment of many girls, Vinesh Phogat said,
Some coaches who are favourites of the federation misbehave with women coaches as well. They sexually harass girls. The WFI president has sexually harassed so many girls.â
Wrestlers staging a protest against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on 19 January 2023
Later, Mr. Sharan Singh responded to the allegations against him and the federation and questioned the wrestlers why they didnât turn up for the last ten years and said,
If such a thing has happened, then I will hang myself.â [1]The Hindu
In April 2023, according to sources, no concrete evidence was found against Brij Bhushan after several hearings. [2]The Economic Times Wrestlers again protested at Jantar Mantar on 23 April 2023, demanding Brij Bhushan be charged with sexual harassment. Wrestlers complained that promises had not been kept and their demands had not been met despite assurances. [3]Hindustan Times A petition by seven wrestlers, seeking an FIR against Brij Bhushan, was filed with the Supreme Court on 25 April 2023; the court issued a notice to the Delhi police asking why an FIR had not been filed against Brij Bhushan. [4]The Times of India On 28 April 2023, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Brij Bhushan: one was related to allegations against a minor wrestler under the POCSO Act, while the second was in response to complaints by women wrestlers. FIRs also named Brij Bhushan’s close aide and the federation’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. [5]The Indian Express In response to the FIR filed against him, Brij Bhushan called the protesters Congress stooges and said wrestler Bajrang Punia and Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda conspired against him. In addition, Mr. Singh alleged that the Phogat family wanted to take control of the wrestling federation. Many politicians visited the protest site as part of the second leg of the wrestlers’ protest, including Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi; Pappu Yadav and Satya Pal Malik also attended. [6]Hindustan Times On 25 June 2023, wrestlers announced that they had decided to stop protesting against Brij Bhushan on the streets and to battle it out in court. [7]India Today
Awards, Honours &Â Achievements
Honours
- Arjuna Award in 2015
Bajrang Punia Receiving The Arjuna Award
- Padma Shri in 2019
Bajrang Punia Receiving Padma Shri From Ram Nath Kovind
World Championship
- Silver (65 kg) in 2018 Budapest
- Bronze (60 kg) in 2013Â Budapest
Asian Games
- Gold (65 kg) 2018 Jakarta
- Silver (61 kg) 2014 Incheon
Commonwealth Games
- Gold (65 kg) 2018 Gold Coast
- Silver (61 kg) 2014 Glasgow
- Gold (65 kg) 2022 Birmingham
Olympics
- Bronze (65 kg) in Tokyo Olympics 2020
Other Awards
- Dave Schultz Memorial Tournament, 2013 – Bronze
- Dave Schultz Memorial Tournament, 2015 – Bronze
Favourites
- Sport:Â Basketball, Football, River Rafting
- Food: Churma
- Wrestler:Â Yogeshwar Dutt, Captain Chandrup
Facts
- Bajrang got his name after an Indian god Lord Hanuman. He was born on Tuesday, the day considered auspicious to worship Lord Hanuman.
- He likes to dance.
- He loves to play Basketball and Football.
Bajrang Playing Basketball
- In 2015, his family left their village and moved to Sonepat, so that he could attend the regional centre of Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Sonepat, India.
- Wrestling is in Bajrang’s Blood. His father Balvan Singh and his brother were both once wrestlers.
- Before becoming a professional wrestler, Bajrang used to do wrestling to earn money.
- Bajrang’s coach is Yogeshwar Dutt.
Bajrang Punia with Yogeshwar Dutt
- Bajrang is the first person to make India win its first Gold in Asian Games.
- He wishes to become like Yogeswar Dutt.
- After winning Silver at the 2018 World Wrestling Championship, he claimed World No. 1 in the 65 kg category.
- Bajrang Punia dedicated the gold medal he won in Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament in Ruse, Bulgaria to the Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
- In December 2023, Punia decided to give back the Padma Shri award that he got in 2019. According to Punia, the appointment of Sanjay Singh as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India was the reason behind his decision; Sanjay is considered to be one of the close associates of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a politician who many wrestlers protested against due to allegations of sexual harassment by female wrestlers. On 22 December 2023, Punia tried to return the award to the Prime Minister’s house; however, the Delhi police stopped him at Rajpath, officially named Kartavya Path, due to which he left the award on the footpath outside the residence. [8]Republic World
- On 10 March 2024, he was eliminated from the Paris Olympic trials after which he left the Sports Authority of India centre in tears. [9]Hindustan Times
References
