Renowned wrestler and two-time Olympic medalist and sports brand ambassador of Delhi, Sushil Kumar, is all set to join the State Government as Additional Director (Education and Sports). lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has reportedly given his consent to consider him for the Delhi administration job.
The 31-year-old wrestler, who was recently appointed as the Sports Brand Ambassador of Delhi, had represented the country in the Olympic Games three times — in 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in london — in the 66-kg freestyle category. He had won the gold medal in the 66 Kg freestyle competition at the FIlA 2010 World Wrestling Championship, a silver in the men’s freestyle at 2012 london Olympics and a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He won the gold medal in the 74 kg men’s freestyle in 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.Born in a Jat family in Baprola village, near Najafgarh in Southwest Delhi, Kumar’s father Diwan Singh was a DTC bus driver and mother Kamla Devi was a housewife.He was inspired to take up wrestling by his cousin Sandeep and his father who was also a wrestler. Sandeep quit wrestling as the family could only support one wrestler.
Sushil Kumar started training when he was 14 at an akhada (wrestling school) in Chhatrasal Stadium.With minimal funds and poor training facilities for wrestling in India, even for the 2008 Olympic team, his family made sure he obtained the necessary dietary supplements by sending him tinned milk, ghee and vegetables.He is a vegetarian and currently works in the Indian Railways as an Assistant Commercial Manager.