Known for his simplicity and kind nature, a role model for many, Sushil Kumar is one of the finest wrestlers India has ever produced. He was felicitated with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Sushil Kumar is the only Indian to win two Olympic medals, 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London.
He started wrestling at the age of 14, inspired by his father and cousin, he began his journey at the Chhatrasal Stadium’s akhada where Yashvir Singh and Ramphal trained him. The Haryana star never looked back from there and went on to become the state champion in Haryana in just four years.
Although, his cousin had to give up wrestling as the family could only afford the expenditure of wrestler in the house. Sushil won his first medal at the World Cadet Games in 1998 at the age of 18, which was a gold medal. Sushil Kumar has a Bachelors degree in Physical Education and masters in the same as well from Noida College of Physical Education, Dadri.
He is fond of diary products such as milk, ghee, curd and vegetables also, the wrestler is a strict vegetarian.
Sushil was also a freelancer for the Cadet Games, and had won a gold medal at the Asian Junior Wrestling Championship in the year 2000. He won his first medal in the 2008 Olympics, Beijing. He also beat Leonid Spiridonov by 3:1.
He made history in the 2012 London Olympics, winning a silver medal in the event and thereby becoming the first Indian wrestler to win two Olympic medals in the history of the event. However, he lost to Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu in the finals.
Sushil defeated Qamar Abbas in the 74 kg category and grabbed the gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014.
Major Awards:
Arjuna Award in 2005
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
Padma Shri
Sushil Kumar has a net worth of between $100k and $1 million (Approx.). His last major and the most important win for him in his career would be the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia. He won gold in the 74 kg category, beating Johannes Botha in the finals.
Currently, Sushil is placed in the Indian Railways as an assistant commercial manager.
