Pune wrestler to enter global arena

Wrestling fans in the city have reason to rejoice: a Puneite, Sandeep Tikone (23) is all set to represent India in the new series of the Total Non Stop Action (TNA) wrestling to be held in the United States of America (USA). The show will be telecast on Colors channel sometime this year.

A native of Dehugaon, Sandeep has been passionate about wrestling since childhood. At the age of 10, he shifted to Pune where he has been practising at the Chinche Talim in Shukrawar Peth.

“For the past 12 years, I have been living and training at the talim. Though I have undergone training in the Indian format of wrestling here, my stint at TNA would give me international exposure and help me widen my horizon,” an excited Sandeep told DNA.

Sandeep faced many obstacles in achieving his dream. That his father is a welder and mother, a fish vendor, speaks volumes about his humble background.

“Owing to my poor background, I wanted a job to support the family. But my limited education kept me devoid of it. Finally, I decided to make my passion my profession,” said Sandeep, who has studied till standard IX in a city school.

Before trying his hand in the TNA, Sandeep featured in ‘100% De Dana Dan’, a wrestling show on Colors channel in 2009, which boosted his confidence to enter the global arena.

“Many people are unaware of it, but I featured as Ghanya Joker in the show. The organizers liked my performance and prompted me to try my hand in TNA,” he said.

Apart from wrestling, Sandeep has a passion for acting. He played a small role as a weeping wrestler in the Rajpal Yadav starrer Kushti. “I got the opportunity to work with comedy king Rajpal Yadav and the wrestling icon of India, Great Khali. I learnt a lot from them and try to incorporate their style in my wrestling strategies,” Sandeep told.

Sandeep, who is presently training in Mumbai for the TNA, wants to create an identity for himself. “Most people do not rate TNA as a good sport. I want to get my style into the game so that people adore me and thus rate the sport with the respect it deserves,” he said.