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Dara Singh’s Death Anniversary: Sher Dara Singh of Punjab was once the world’s biggest wrestler in freestyle wrestling. He fought 500 matches in his career and remained undefeated. His death on 12 July 2012 Mumbai …Read more
This lion of Punjab is still fresh as a sweet memory in the minds of many people.
Highlights
- Dara Singh fought 500 wrestling matches but did not lose even in one
- Dara Singh picked up King Kong above the head and thrown out of the ring
- Dara Singh made an identity by playing the role of Hanuman in Ramayana
Born on 19 November 1928, Dara Singh’s trend towards Pahlavani increased due to a very strong height in his childhood. Dara Singh also had a younger brother Sardara Singh, who was known as Randhawa. Both Dara Singh and Randhawa started wrestling together. Gradually, from the village riots to the cities, he won the tabling kushtis and illuminated the name of his village. Dara Singh used to do wrestling at the fairs and even at the behest of King Maharajas.
Fought 500 matches, not a single one lost
Dara Singh visited many eastern countries as a professional wrestler. He visited Singapore in 1947 where he won the title of Champion of Malaysia by defeating Taralok Singh. After winning the Malaysian title, Dara again became the Indian champion in 1954. Dara won the Commonwealth Championship in 1959 defeating former world champion George Gordianco. In 1968, he became the world champion of freestyle wrestling by defeating US world champion Lau Thez. He wrestled till the age of 55 and did not see the face of defeat in 500 matches.
There was a huge crowd in his matches with King Kong.
Wrestling with King Kong is recorded in history
Dara Singh will always be known for his match with King Kong. In one of the most exciting matches in the wrestling ground, Dara Singh, who weighing 130 kg, raised King Kong over his head and rotated in a dramatic manner. On this, King Kong shouted at the referee and reminded him that doing so is against the rules. When the referee came and tried to stop it, Dara Singh threw the Australian wrestler out of the ring and he fell at a distance of a few feet from the crowd. Seeing this bet by Dara Singh, the audience had pressed his fingers under the teeth. There was a huge crowd in his matches with King Kong. Who was mesmerized by his strength and skill’s performance.
Defeated all the big wrestlers of his era
Apart from Dara Singh and King Kong, Flash Gordon was the third wrestler who ruled the ring in the 1950s. The myths created by agents made these wrestlers invincible men. So to see them fighting in the ring, it was like seeing two invincible wrestlers trying to ruin each other. While Dara Singh used to eat a lot of rotis, King Kong used to eat dozens of chickens. Dara Singh participated in about 500 professional matches, in which he remained undefeated in all. He fought with the greatest wrestlers like George Gordianco of Canada and John Desilva of New Zealand. He won the title of ‘Rustom-e-Punjab’ and ‘Rustom-e-Hind’ for his wrestling skills.
Fought last match in 1983
In 1983, after winning the last match of his life, he retired from wrestling respectfully. The tournament in the tournament held in Delhi inaugurated the tournament by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Former President Giani Jail Singh provided the trophy to the winners. Born on 19 November 1928, Dara Singh was married by the housemates at an early age to a very old girl without his will. He became a father at the age of 17. Dara Singh had two marriages. They had three sons and three daughters from them. Vindu Dara Singh is also his son.
Floods in films too
Dara Singh entered the film industry in the fifties. Dara Singh started his film career in 1952 with the film Sangdil. He went ahead and acted in many films and also produced some films. However, most of his films were considered to be of B -grade category. But apart from this, he also worked with the top stars of Bollywood. Dara Singh worked in many big films like Mera Naam Joker, Ajuba, Dillagi, Kal Ho and J Jab We Met. He made many Hindi and Punjabi films in which he himself played the lead role.
Dara Singh gave Mumtaz a break in Bollywood.
Mumtaz became her heroine in 16 films
Due to Dara Singh being very powerful, the actresses of that era were shy away from working with him. Due to her very strong height, most of the actress refused to work with her. Dara Singh, who made Mumtaz a Bollywood in Bollywood, worked in 16 films with this actress. In the 1980s and 90s, Dara Singh moved to TV. He managed to make a tremendous identity from house to house by playing the role of Lord Hanuman in the historic serial Ramayana of his time.
Trying his hand in politics too
Apart from sports and cinema, Dara Singh also tried his hand in politics. He was the first player in the country to be nominated by a political party for the Rajya Sabha. The Bharatiya Janata Party made him a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2003-2009. Film director Manmohan Desai once told him that I was making a film man with Amitabh Bachchan and I was thinking who could play the role of his father? I felt that if I am taking Amitabh in the role of a man, then obviously the father of the man should be Dara Singh. Nothing better can be said in his praise.