Biography
| Real Name | Bajrang Punia |
| Nick Name | Bajrang |
| Date of Birth | 26 February 1994 (Saturday) |
| Age | 30 Years Old (Till 2024) |
| Place of Birth | Khudan, Jhajjar, Haryana, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Profession | Wrestler |
| Famous Role |
Family
| Father | Balvan Singh Punia |
| Mother | Om Pyari Punia |
| Brother | Harendra Punia |
| Sister | None |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Not Known |
| Wife | Sangeeta Punia (wrestler) Marriage Date( 25 November 2020) |
| Kids |
Physical Measurements
| Height | 5 feet 5 Inches (1.66 m) |
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Figure Measurements |
Education
| School | Not Known |
| College/University | The regional centre of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sonepat, India |
| Qualification | Wrestling training at the regional centre of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Sonepat, India. |
Career
| Debut | He began wrestling at the age of seven |
| Event(s) | Freestyle |
| Coach | Sujeet Maan |
| Medals | Gold • Commonwealth Championship Singapore (65 kg) (2016) • Commonwealth Championship Brakpan (65 kg) (2017) • Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Ashgabat (70 kg) (2017) • Asian Championships New Delhi (65 kg) (2017) • Asian Games Jakarta (65 kg) (2018) • Commonwealth Games Gold Coast (65 kg) (2018) • Asian Championships Xi’an (65 kg) (2019) • Commonwealth Games Birmingham (65 kg) (2022)  Silver • Asian Championships Astana (61 kg) (2014) • Asian Games Incheon (61 kg) (2014) • World U23 Championships Bydgoszcz (65 kg) (2017) • World Championships Budapest (65 kg) (2018) • Asian Championships New Delhi (65 kg) (2020) • Asian Championships Almaty (65 kg) (2021) • Asian Championships Ulanbator (65 kg) (2022) Bronze • Asian Championships New Delhi (60 kg) (2013) • World Championships Budapest (60 kg) (2013) • Asian Championships Bishkek (65 kg) (2018) • World Championships Nur-Sultan (65 kg) (2019) • Olympic Games Tokyo (65 kg) (2020) • Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Almaty (65 kg) (2022) |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | • 2015: Arjuna Award • 2019: Padma Shri Award  • 2019: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award • 2020: FICCI India Sports Award |
| Controversies | • Earlier, Bajrang Punia criticized the policy of granting Khel Ratna Award as he blamed government of India. He even told the media that if given notice of his award, he would sue the government for having been bestowed this honour. Some media sources claim that he made this comment after Virat Kohli was chosen for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award with a score of Zero and his own best at 80. • Earlier, Bajrang Punia criticized the policy of granting Khel Ratna Award as he blamed government of India. He even told the media that if given notice of his award, he would sue the government for having been bestowed this honour. Some media sources claim that he made this comment after Virat Kohli was chosen for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award with a score of Zero and his own best at 80. |
Money Factor
| Net Worth | $2 Million |
| Assets/Properties | |
| House | |
| Car |
Social Media
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Bajrang Punia: From Khudan to wrestling god at global stage
Bajrang Punia is an Indian professional freestyle wrestler and one of most renowned athletes in India. Hailing from Khudan, a small village in Haryana, Bajrang is the poster boy for hard work and success in sports. The tale of Mark Calaway, man born poor but was fortunate to turn into one of the biggest wrestling characters in history is indeed a motivation for every future sportsman. In this article you will get deepen up on Bajrang Punia life, his Year-wise progress and top performances in world wrestling.
Early Life and Background
Family History, Wrestling Commencement
Bajrang Punia was born in a family having strong links with wrestling. Balwan Singh Punia, his father was a wrestler too who used to wrestle just as an amateur. The sport of wrestling, called “kushti” in India and a venerable tradition in Haryana with its long history — more than 700 years — has flourished here throughout the centuries with well-established akhadas or traditional Indian gyms as cradles for budding champions. With wrestling prevailing as a rich education, Bajrang got the hang of preparing at a neighbourhood akhada when he was seven.
He was schooling during the day and wrestling for hours everyday. Seeing his interest and aptitude for the sport, Kiyoshi’s father nudged him towards wrestling. When the family shifted to Sonepat — a sports hub and wrestling hotbed in India, it was clearly one crucial move of Bajrang’s journey. Bajrang then moved to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) regional center in Sonepat and started formal training under some of the most eminent wrestling coaches in country.
Early Career & initial Success of Bajrang (2008-2013)
2008: Start of Competitive Wrestling Journey
Bajrang Punia started participating in junior level tournaments zealously, as it marked his way into competitive wrestling. As a 14-year-old, Bajrang glimpsed that he had talent and started competing in state and national competitions. These key formative years were pivotal in honing his wrestling skill set and mental/ physical toughness. Bajrang too, trained intensely for hours on end daily which is where he built the pair of lungs and physical stamina that would be his calling card around in the world.
National Success and International Exposure (2009–2011)
In the national wrestling arena, Bajrang had started gaining recognition in 2009. He always did well initial national Junior championships, bringing back medals and papers titling one of the upcoming prospects in India at that time. He became the part of national wrestling team in junior level by his performance and started playing at international level from India.
Play this video In 2011, Bajrang had won a bronze in the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships. Just before he graduated from high school, Parampukall announced that finally his first major international breakthrough and was a very useful experience for him to compete against the wrestlers of different countries. Getting to rub shoulders with different international wrestling styles and techniques only assisted him in finetuning his game and developing it further as well thus helping him prepare for the senior-level circuits.
2012: Asian Junior Championships 1st
Bajrang Punia had his breakthrough year in 2012 He participated in the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships and returned with a gold medal in his name — 60 kg division. It was not just important as his first international gold, but it underlined that he could play and win at a senior level. It was this tournament that paved the way for Bajrang’s rise in Indian wrestling setting a perfect platform to make his switch at senior level.
Climbing the Ladder – 2013-2017
World Wrestling Championships 2013: Bronze
WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2013, BUDAPEST In this photo taken on Wednesday, September 18 (PHOTO), Indian Freestyle wrestler BAjrang Punia look at the Wrestling mat as he participate in up to55 Kgs during his World Championships draw. Travelling to work his way back up the ladder, in a gruelling 60 kg freestyle field featuring some of the world’s finest wrestlers, Bajrang endured more than just punishment. Still, he did brilliantly and won the bronze medal. For him, this was a huge achievement and his first-ever senior-level World Championship medal established that he can fight it out with the best on Earth.
Bajrang called this bronze medal at the World Championships as huge development in his career. This spurred him on and helped eliminate his limiting self beliefs, replacing them with an all informed certainty that he could do even better in the new future to come.
2014: Silver at Commonwealth and Asian Games
2014 was yet another significant year in Bajrang’s career. He was the part of Indian contingent in the Glasgow, Scotland Commonwealth Games 2014 and competed in his chosen weight category (61 kg freestyle). Here it was an excellent show by Bajrang, who too made it to the title round facing David Tremblay from Canada. Although Bajrang could not win the final match he bagged the silver medal at his debut Commonwealth Games.
In the same year, Bajrang went on to compete in the Asian Games and that tournament took place at Incheon of South Korea. He once more did a commendable job by making his way into the 61 kg Category final. And settled with another silver after losing narrowly in the last face off against Masoud Esmaeilpour of Iran. His silver medal at the Asian Games too was a notable feat which convinced many in wrestling circles that Bajrang had arrived, and he would be scaling greater heights.
2015 – Arjuna Award and Going Strong
Bajrang Punia was duly awarded his Arjuna Award in 2015. Bajrang received the Arjuna Award, which is conferred to athletes based on their excellent performance and his continued success at national as well as International level triumphed him an award.
The same year, Bajrang then also appeared at Asian Wrestling Championships in the 61 kg category where he bagged a bronze. His runs in 2015 highlighted exactly how reliable he is and his competitiveness level
2016- Silver in Asian Wrestling Championships
Bajrang Punia carried his fine form in 2016 as well. Later at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, he gained silver medal competing there. He was defeated for the only time in three bouts, but it did not sour a fine performance and one more timely reminder that he is still among Asia’s best.
2016 was also the Rio Olympics year. Though Bajrang could not reach the Olympics that year but his commitment and dedication never saw a dip. He took the knowledge from participating in these big tournaments, and he developed and prepared for future ones.
Silver – 2017 World Wrestling Championships
In 2017 year a new chapter was written in the story of Bajrang Punia. Bajrang secured a silver medal at the 65 kg freestyle category by participating in World Wrestling Championships took place in Paris, France. His hard work since junior helped and this was his best performance on the senior level yet: he came home with a World Championship medal in hand.
What makes his silver at the World Championships so special, was that this medal showed Bajrang thrived at a new weight category and could be one of the best in world if he moved up. His ability to fight across a range of weight categories was clear in his success at 65 kg.
2018: A Golden Year
First gold in the Commonwealth Games
Bajrang Punia could be termed as one of the most well-represented Indian athletes from 2018, marking his footsteps globally with big wins which established him among world’s best wrestlers. He won the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia early this year. Bajrang, under 65kg remember that particular weight like honied warmth and settle it tenderly into the nightfall of significance, not just struck gold quite easily. He then comfortably beat Kane Charig of Wales 4-0 in the final, showing him and all his vast strength.
Only gold medal at the Commonwealth Games was a big thing for Bajrang as it happened to be his first ever Gold in an international multi-sport event. His win was met with widespread acclaim in India, and he emerged as a favourite for the forthcoming tournaments.
Gold at the Asian Games
Bajrang also participated in 2018 Asian Games played later on that year in Jakarta (Indonesia). The Asian Games constitutes one of the biggest sporting events in Asia and winning a medal at this meet is no mean achievement. Bajrang, who came in as one of the favourites into the 65 kg freestyle category event lived up to his reputation and bagged a gold medal.
Bajrang faced Daichi Takatani of Japan in the gold-and-gold match. A rally round of the opponent made it challenging for Bajrang but he proved to be the ultimate winner bagging a gold. Bajrang’s gold was a shining light for India at the Asian Games and he only became second Indian wrestler to clench a Asiad Gold, after Yogeshwar Dutt.
The runners-up is Silver at the World Wrestling Championships
At Rank 3: Bajrang PuniaBajrang Puniadefeated Ukrainian wrestler11-9in the Bronze medal match to secure his maidenWorld Wrestling Championshipsmedal. Plying his trade in the 65 kg category, Bajrang made it to the final against Takuto Otoguro of Japan. The sliver medal was a major accomplishment despite him losing in the final match and added to his accomplishments.
Undoubtedly 2018 had been one of the best seasons in Bajrang’s career and his performance at the International arena had also made him one of India’s most respected athletes.
2019: Recognition & Continued Success
Asian Wrestling Championship 2019 Gold
Bajrang Punia carried his good form into 2019, bagging a gold at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Xi’an, China.
. Bajrang, competing in the 65 kg category showed his tactical skills and aggressive wrestling comprehensively defeated Sayatbek Okassov of Kazakhstan to clinch gold medal.
For Bajrang, the gold from Asian Wrestling Championships was important as it marked his ability to remain at the top in 65 kg category. This performance in the tournament also helped his world ranking points, thereby staking claim over one of top wrestlers globally.
In World Wrestling Championship, Third Bronze Personal life
Hence, in September of that year, Bajrang Yadav participated in the World Wrestling Championships held at Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan) where he came under scrutiny. Bajrang faced stiff competition but he still clinched a bronze medal in the 65 kg category. His bronze was another medal to addi his already impressive world championship tally, reminding everyone that he is the best at remaining consistent on the biggest stages of all.
Reflecting on Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
He was also honored with the Padma Shri- in 2019 for his exceptional endeavors and contribution to Indian sports. The Padma Shri is one of the highest civilian awards bestowed by The Government Of India upon “the exceptionals” in terms with their contribution to Art, Education and other fields. Winning the award was a proud moment, not just for Bajrang but his entire family.
In the same year later Bajrang was bestowed with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna which is also known as best sporting honour in India Only athletes who have performed exceptionally well in their sport receive the Khel Ratna and Bajrang has got it right because of his sensational results on a wrestling mat. The award marked as a small token of appreciation to the hard work, dedication and success Bajrang had brought in Indian wrestling.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: I Dared to Dream
Preparation and Challenges
But Bajrang Punia had to face a lot of challenges before reaching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Sport events across the world were brought to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Tokyo Olympics pushed back in 2021. Photo : Supplied The pandemic also disrupted training schedules as sportspeople had to contend with lockdown conditions and unforeseen regulations.
Even through these hardships, Bajrang continued to keep his sights set on an Olympic medal. He started to work hard in training and became physical, added some gun moves into his multidisciplinary fighting game. But just ahead of the Olympics, Bajrang had to undergo a knee surgery that even out his preparation for Rio. All this and more later as the HI team sits down with Bajrang who reveals how his injury had him in a fix but it was after all just a minor speed breaker which he overcame battling on till Tokyo, thanks to support from coaches and medical staff.
Bronze Medal Victory
Bajrang Punia competed in the men’s 65 kg freestyle wrestling at Tokyo Olympics. It was also a tough match for him, and after winning it he reached the bronze medal match, in which he faced Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan. Even as Bajrang was still recuperating from the injury, he produced a masterful show on the mat and walked away with an 8-0 win in his bronze-medal match.
Indeed, pride for Bajrang and India. An Olympic medal is the pinnacle of sporting achievement and for someone like Bajrang, his bronze was a vivacious statement on how he fought back from setbacks. After the Olympics, his performance was received in great fanfare back home and saw Kohli being put into godly statures.
Personal Life
Marriage to Sangeeta Phogat
Bajrang Punia married Sangeeta Phogat, who is a wrestler as well and part of the famed Phogat family in 2020. The Phogat family is one of the most popular wrestling families in India; their two daughters are also wrestlers like them, Geeta and Babita. The Phogat sisters shot into national limelight after Bollywood movie Dangal, which revolved around their lives.
Sangeeta and Bajrang’s wedding was akin to two wrestling families joining forces. The duo has forged a strong connection over the years and is also present on-site, motivating one another at work. This is true of their marriage and a testament to the positive unifying power sports can have.
Values and Humility
But that has not gone into the head of Bajrang Punia He is a Family man at heart and always gives credit to his parents, coaches masters and mentors for where he stands today. Empathetic and in awe of Bajrang as a humble hero — he is an example for all the upcoming hassle on vegetation across our vast land
Wrestling Style and Strengths
Bajrang Punia is known for his aggressive and fearless style on wrestling mat. He is an attacker, a non-stop hunter of his prey. His lightning-fast reflexes coupled with his devastating takedowns, and uncanny knack at outwitting opponents has transformed him into an unbeatable force on the mat.
Stamina is one of Bajrang’s biggest strengths. He is renowned as a great endurance player, and he always manages to play top-level tennis even in the third set. His durability, mixed with a savviness as an in-fight tactician has allowed him to win numerous tight battles.
His Legacy & Impact on Indian Wrestling
Bajrang Punia, a huge contribution to Indian wrestling With his international success, he inspired a generation of emerging wrestlers. His story of fighting his way from a tiny village in Haryana to become one of the international superstars demonstrates inspiration for future athletes.
The success of Bajrang has laid a bigger focus on the sport overall in India. His achievements have also put India wrestling on the map owing to which the sport has gained unprecedented support from both government and private sector. It will not be just his medals but also the revolution in India wrestling that Bajrang’s legacy.
Conclusion
He is becoming the ultimate icon for India in sports: Bajrang Punia. From a boy growing up in Haryana, to an Olympic medalist and world wrestling champion – his journey — one of triumph over adversity is inspirational. Bajrang has become a national legend for his career — one that will influence the sport of wrestling in India for generations to come.
The way he is fighting and inspiring millions, it could be rightly termed to continue his legacy among one of the best wrestlers India has ever produced. His experience is a shining example of the heights attainable with perseverance and excellence.
FAQs About Bajrang Punia
1. Who is Bajrang Punia?
- Bajrang Punia is an Indian freestyle wrestler and one of the most successful athletes in the country. He has won multiple medals in international competitions, including the Olympics, World Wrestling Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.
2. Where was Bajrang Punia born?
- Bajrang Punia was born on February 26, 1994, in Khudan village, Jhajjar district, Haryana, India.
3. What are Bajrang Punia’s major achievements?
- Bajrang Punia has won several major medals, including:
- Bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021).
- Silver medals at the World Wrestling Championships (2018, 2017).
- Gold medals at the Commonwealth Games (2018) and Asian Games (2018).
- Multiple medals at the Asian Wrestling Championships.
4. How did Bajrang Punia start his wrestling career?
- Bajrang Punia started wrestling at a young age in his local akhada (traditional wrestling gym) in Khudan, Haryana. He later moved to Sonepat to train at the Sports Authority of India’s regional center, where he received professional training.
5. What awards has Bajrang Punia received?
- Bajrang Punia has been honored with several prestigious awards, including:
- Arjuna Award (2015).
- Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award (2019).
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honor (2019).
6. Who is Bajrang Punia’s wife?
- Bajrang Punia is married to Sangeeta Phogat, a fellow wrestler from the famous Phogat family, known for producing several successful Indian wrestlers.
7. What is Bajrang Punia’s wrestling style?
- Bajrang Punia is known for his aggressive and relentless wrestling style. He is skilled in powerful takedowns, quick reflexes, and counter-attacks. His stamina and endurance are also among his greatest strengths.
8. What weight category does Bajrang Punia compete in?
- Bajrang Punia competes in the 65 kg freestyle wrestling category.
9. How did Bajrang Punia perform at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
- At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Bajrang Punia won a bronze medal in the men’s 65 kg freestyle wrestling category.
10. What impact has Bajrang Punia had on Indian wrestling?
- Bajrang Punia has inspired a new generation of wrestlers in India. His success on the international stage has brought greater attention to the sport of wrestling in the country, making him a role model for young athletes.