Rustam-e-Hind (Lion of India) of 1972, Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Olympian wrestler Harishchandra Birajdar died after a prolonged illness at a private hospital here on Wednesday. He was 61.
Birajdar was admitted to hospital in April after he suffered brain hemorrhage. Though he showed signs of recovery, his condition deteriorated and he died on Wednesday at 7.30am.
Birajdar was born in Nilangana, Latur district, and is survived by his wife and two sons. He was working as a coach in Gokul Vastad Talim in Pune.
He has won numerous awards including the Shiv Chhatrapati award in 1971, Dadoji Konddev award for coaching in 1998 and Dhyanchand award in 2006.
Wrestling has been his family tradition, and Harishchandra’s father introduced him to the sport when he was eight years old. His first public bout was against his father when he was only 12.
Birajdar was active in the sport till the age of 30, when he suffered from kidney problems and took up coaching.
An ardent follower of the sport, he spent an hour everyday at the akhada (wrestling school). He emphasised that any sport would make a person physically and mentally active, immune and strong.
Birajdar won the Commonwealth Games gold in 1970. His career came to an end when he was diagnosed with a kidney problem in 1979. A year later, he was appointed as wrestling coach by the Sports Authority of India.
Birajdar has produced many international wrestlers; prominent among them is Kaka Pawar. His son Sagar (16) has emerged as a promising junior wrestler from the state. He won the state junior championship and made the cut for the national junior camp.
“I will fulfill my father’s dream and represent the country,” said Sagar.
