All about Sushil Kumar, the Olympic medalist arrested in murder case

Absconding wrestler Sushil Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday in a murder case. From an Olympics medalist to being arrested over his alleged involvement in a murder case, Kumar has seen a major downfall. 

While all are aware of his exploits on the wrestling mat, very few know about his early years. Let’s dive down and know all about him.

Sushil was inspired to take up wrestling at an impressionable age. He first got his hands on a medal at the World Cadet Games in 1998 by winning the gold. And from there, it was no stopping him.

Five years down the line, in 2003, he won the bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships, coupling it with a gold at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships.

Born in Baprola village in South West Delhi, he was roused to take up wrestling by his father and cousin. And who knew, that he would go on to become the Wrestling Federation of India‘s (WFI) most celebrated athletes.

He began his training at the age of 14. After tasting success in 1998 in the form of a gold medal, two years later, he won another gold at the Asian Junior Wrestling Championship.

When he started, he received his training under wrestlers Yashvir and Ramphal and later by Mahabali Satpal Singh, who is an Arjuna Award winner. And it is said that it was Satpal Singh, under who he realised his true wrestling potential.

After appearing in senior national and international tournaments over the years, it was in Athens 2004 when he made his first Olympic appearance. A young and inexperienced Sushil finished 14.

The 2004 Olympics only made him stronger as the strong and fierce grappler brought home the gold at the Commonwealth wrestling championships in 2005 and 2007.

At the 2010 World Championships in Moscow he won the gold medal. Sushil Kumar has also won the Gold medal in 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.

All eyes were on him during the Beijing 2008 Games. Can Sushil Kumar do it? Yes, was the answer.

56 years later, Sushil Kumar won India an Olympic medal, a bronze in the 66kg category. It was India’s first Olympic wrestling medal since Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav’s bronze in 1952.

He was not done, he was gunning for more. And at the 2012 London Games, he took a step further in his and India’s quest for a gold medal.

He catapulted himself by winning a silver at the 2012 Summer Games and cemented his name in the book of the greats.

“Apart from wrestling, I don’t know much else,” he had said after the record feat in London.

He has the distinction of being the country’s only two-time Olympic medalist in an individual event and the first Indian to win a wrestling world championship.

He has representated India three times at the Olympics and is a two-time winner.

As far as his personal life is concerned, he married his coach’s daughter Savi Kumar in 2011.

What went wrong for the champion?

It was in 2016 when Sushil made headlines for the wrong reasons. He traded barbs with the WFI over representing India at the Rio Olympics.

While Maharashtra’s Narsingh Yadav had won the quota to represent India, Sushil, on the other hand, wanted his own trials to be held on the basis of his medals and records.

However, Narsingh failed a dope test weeks before the Olympics. Even though he claimed that he was a victim of a conspiracy, the case still remains unsolved.

In 2018, he found himself embroiled in a case in which Sushil’s opponent Parveen Rana and his brother were assaulted by a group of people. Parveen alleged that the attackers were Sushil’s supporters. The victims were hospitalised and an FIR was lodged against Sushil and his supporters.

And in 2021, he was named in the murder case of a former junior national champion – Sagar Kumar. An FIR was lodged against the Olympic medalist.

The Delhi Police, on May 17, announced that anyone who has any knowledge of the wrestler’s whereabouts will be given a prize amount of Rs 1 lakh.

Sushil’s success has inspired a generation of Indian wrestlers, including Yogeshwar Dutt and the Phogat sisters.

Whilst still active in the sport, he has not qualified for the Tokyo Games where India had hopes of winning four medals.