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Top 10 Facts about the Great Gama

Gama’s birth name is Ghulam Mohammad Baksh, but many may identify him as ” Great Gama” particularly if interested in wrestling or sports extensively, one wouldn’t elude to know him because he was the extraordinary wrestler of all time during the British Raj.

He was born on May 22, 1878, in Jabbowal, a village in Punjab’s Amritsar district.

Let’s dive into some Amazing facts about this great man 

1. Great Gama is well identified for?

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The Great Gama is recognized for his unfathomable wrestling record and phenomenal strength. Even today, Gama鈥檚 doughnut-shaped exercise disk known as 鈥淗asli鈥� is kept at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) Museum at Patiala.

He became particularly well recognized in 1902 during a wrestling competition in Baroda when he managed to lift a 1200 kg stone on his own.

The gigantic stone required 25 men to lift it again. The stone is kept in the Baroda Museum as his symbol of strength.

2. Gama was born into a wrestler’s home 

Gama is said to have been born into a wrestler’s household because his father Mr. Muhammad Aziz Baksh was also a wrestler. His father saw a vision of making Gama a wrestler, but before he could make it certain his tragic demise occurred while Ghulam was only 6 years of age

Gama’s grandfather Pehalwan took him up together with his brother and began to train them it wasn’t long before he also died and their maternal uncle Ida Pehelwan nurtured them and taught Gama wrestling tricks since his uncle was also a good wrestler.

3. Recognition of “the Great Gama” in wrestling 

  Hindu Squat-   

Since he was born into a family of wrestlers, it would be evident that he would be prone to this from the start. He loved wrestling and started training early in his life.

It was then at the age of 10 in the year 1988, when he was first glimpsed while he was taking part in a strongman competition that was being held in jodhpur, where hundreds of wrestlers were also participating.

When his story of prowess in wrestling caught up with the Maharaja Of Datia, he sent him into practice and it was at this point that his wrestling journey finally embarked professionally.

4. Gama’s Inspiration for Bruce Lee

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While Gama was well recognized for his strict diet and workout regimes, he would always practice for more than ten hours and wrestle with 40 wrestlers in a day within the arena to be able to get a better grip on the mat.

He was also recognized for performing 5000 squats and 3000 push-ups in a day. It was through his tough domain and training, followed by a strict diet that inspired the famed martial art expert and movie star Bruce Lee who incorporated several facets of it into his regime.

5. Gama finished his career undefeated before his retirement in 1952

Gama survived undefeated throughout his profession lengthening for over half a decade and ending with his retirement at the age of 74. He achieved most of his bout with familiar dominance despite multiple challenges by the same contestants barring a few formidable competitors.

Sultaniwala, who pushed Gama for a battle for over two hours during their first meet, was among the few wrestlers whom the World Champion couldn鈥檛 win against for a long time and later realized that the former Indian champion was the toughest competitor he ever faced.

6. Gama acknowledged  for his golden heart

Gama gained respect off the mat as well as he saved the life of Hindus living on Mohni Road in Lahore, where he moved in early 1947 ahead of Indian independence and subsequent partition.

Enjoying a great bond with the Hindu majority locality of Mohni Road, Gama promised to save the lives of the community with his life amid the rising tension of riots and kept his words by keeping rioters at bay from harming the residents of the colony.

He then escorted them all to safety at the border with riots intensifying while bearing expenses of their rations for a week.

7. Can You Lift A Rock Weighing 1200 Kg?

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Can you even imagine doing that in your wildest dreams? But that鈥檚 what the Great Gama did when he was in his 20s. The legend has it that on a casual visit to Baroda, Gama had lifted a stone weighing 1200 kg and carried it for some distance as a show of his stamina, as Maharaj Sayajrao (Maharaja of Baroda) was an avid sports lover.

The stone is now kept at the museum of Baroda. It鈥檚 said that the museum authorities found it difficult to move the stone even with the help of 25 people. They ultimately had to use a hydraulic machine to move the stone.

8. Who gave the Title of 鈥淭iger鈥� to The Great Gama?

Gamma had no opponents until 1927. However, shortly after, it was announced that Gama and Zbieszko would challenge each other again. In January 1928 in Patiala, Gama won against Zbieszko within a minute and won the Indian edition of the World Wrestling Championship. After the bout, Zabieszko called Gama a 鈥渢iger鈥�.

9. The Great Gama鈥檚 final days of Life

It occurs that The Great Gama suffered tremendous financial crunches in his last days of life, he suffered a chronic ailment and struggled to pay for his treatment.

GD Birla, an industrialist donated him a monthly pension of 鈧�2,000 and 鈧�300. GD Birla was also a great wrestling enthusiast. The Government of Pakistan also funded his medical expenses till his death on 23 May 1960.

10. The making of many legends

Kushti continues as one of the extensively popular sports in villages and rural towns in India and Pakistan. Battled in sandpits, this type of wrestling is more than just a show of stamina 鈥� it鈥檚 also about perseverance and character. 

 Gama was never able to overcome a formidable wrestler Rahim Baksh Sultaniwala, who had earned the title of Rustam-e-Hind (the champion of India) at the time. 

Sultaniwala was a giant at 6鈥�9 and over 130 kilos compared to the o 5鈥�7 stature of Gama. 鈥淵et, Gama was able to fight him. The match ended in a draw but it went on for 2 hours. And Gama didn鈥檛 give up. He was really brave,鈥� says Umar, the Pakistani wrestler. 

Gama trained like traditional wrestlers who spent long hours ikarasas lifting weights and practicing fighting techniques with each other.  

Unlike the modern-day wrestlers sweating out in the gym to acquire ripped bodies, traditional wrestlers generate immense strength from their bulky frames, pot belly, and humped shoulders.