2023-12-28 10:46:02
Haryana: Today, wrestling in the country has become a platform for controversies and political arguments. But apart from all those controversies, news of a different training session at one of Haryana’s most famous wrestling training centers is now coming out. A new experience for the wrestlers at the Akhada is the unexpected arrival of a guest at the training center and the new martial arts imparted by him.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accompanied Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Poonia to the training center on Wednesday morning. Trained in the Japanese martial art of jiu-jitsu, Rahul showcased his skills in front of the wrestlers. The rules of Jiu-Jitsu, which is popular globally, became a new experience for wrestlers.
Rahul Punia and coach Virender Dalal were taught jiu-jitsu locks along with wrestlers at the academy in the agricultural village of Chara, where they learned regarding traditional wrestling routines that included moves like dhobi pachad and dhak. And joined them to eat bajra roti and saag, said coach Virender Dalal. Dalal also praised Rahul as having a rare ability to understand cues and pick them up quickly.
The dhobi pachad, in which the wrestler lifts his opponent over his shoulders and slams him to the mat, and the dhak, in which he holds his opponent by the head before throwing him to the ground, are two popular wrestling moves. This is what was shown to Rahul. Dalal also said that Rahul Gandhi showed some Jiu-Jitsu moves to him and Punia.
After irrigating the soil with his blood and sweat along with years of hard work, patience and unmatched discipline, a player brings a medal for his country.
Today, he reached brother Virendra Arya’s arena in Chhara village of Jhajjar and discussed with Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia and other wrestler brothers.
Question… pic.twitter.com/IeGOebvRl6
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 27, 2023
Bajrang Poonia is a wrestler who has been at the forefront of protests once morest BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. It is also interesting to note that Rahul Gandhi is visiting a wrestling academy in Haryana with Poonia, days following he returned the Padma Shri to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in protest last week.
Punia’s decision to return her Padma Shri came following Brij Bhushan confidant Sanjay Singh was elected WFI president. The central government announced that the new committee was suspended last Sunday following protests including Poonia’s.
The Lala Dewan Chand Akhara or Virender Akhara, a wrestling training center, is where two wrestlers who represented India at the Tokyo Olympics began their careers. One of these is Bajrang Poonia – a bronze medalist in the 65kg category and a multi-world medalist. Another World Championship medalist Deepak Punia, competing in the 86 kg category, also trained at this akhara in Chhara before shifting to Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium.
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