Aslam Pahalwan

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Aslam Pahalwan: Wrestling Champion Of Punjab

Aslam Pahalwan (born 1930, in Amritsar, India), was a famous grappler who fought the Greco-Roman wrestling and free-style wrestling in the international community. He has a career record of more then 300 wrestling bouts.

Aslam originates from one of the significant wrestling families in the world. He is the 2nd generation grappler belonging to a class of renowned wrestlers from the Punjab in Northwestern India. He is the son of the Indian wrestling champion, Imam Baksh and the nephew of the Great Gama of India. He is also the member of the wrestling coalition of the illustrious Bholu Brothers also known as the Pahalwan Brothers of Pakistan. And the best this wrestling family has ever produced after the Great Gama. He was the leading Pakistani regional champion.

Since Gama had no children, therefore subsequent to his retirement from the sport of wrestling in 1933 he began to train his nephews; the Bholu Brothers. Therefore back in United India, Aslam remained pupil of the Great Gama for a concise period. But he was actually trained in the art of wrestling by some others, such as Hamida Pahalwan. This was the era when the art of wrestling was flourishing in India and it produced many good wrestlers.

Aslam trained twice a day. Relying mostly on the basic techniques such as squats, pushup-stretches and Dungal Wrestling sessions lasting for hours. A high-calorie and nutritious diet to push the bodyweight to maximum was the part of his training. Since the body weight is an advantage in conventional wrestling for the traditional wrestlers. Therefore Indian wrestlers of the past used their bodyweight to their advantage in wrestling. As a result of that Aslam often consumed an entire goat during a single meal.

He commenced his career by participating in tournaments held mostly in Punjab. But he also participated in tournaments held in other parts of India such as Bombay, Calcutta and Uttar Pradesh. His first important wrestling match was in Amritsar against Bala Pahalwan of India in which he defeated his opponent in only 90 seconds. In another major wrestling match of his career in Patiala Aslam defeated a much better Indian wrestler known as Niranjan Singh within another 90 seconds. During the pre-partition days, The Maharaja of Patiala used to sponsor a wrestling championship in his princely state each year during the Islamic month of Moharram. In a main wrestling event during one such tournament held in Patiala Aslam defeated the wrestler Puran Singh, in an important clash of his wrestling career. He was rewarded a sum of rupees Ten Thousand by the Maharaja Bhopindar Singh on his success.

After the Indian Partition Aslam got stationed in Pakistan. He resided mostly in the city of Lahore and Karachi. He mostly collided with the best wrestlers of Punjab. He soon moved into the limelight by beating Kala Pahalwan and Aslam Mohni Wala in the city of Lahore. In another one of the most exciting match of his career, after 9 minutes of spectacular wrestling Aslam defeated the highly skilled Younus Gujranwalia for the Punjab Regional Championship and was officially declared Rustam-i-Punjab in Minto park, Lahore. The Younus Gujranwalia had previously wrestled Bholu Pehalwan for 8 minutes in 1949 for Rustam-i-Pakistan title, which was a record as no Indian wrestler had ever tackle Bholu for such a long duration.

Aslam was well above 6.2 tall and weighed around 300 pounds. He was a man of faith. He defeated a number of bona fide Indian wrestlers. But shadowed by his elder brother Bholu Pahalwan (Manzoor) who was the official Wrestling Champion of Pakistan, Aslam remained confined to the regional title and never wrestled for the National title held by the Bholu Pahalwan. From1953 he started seeking better prospects in the international community and proceeded out of the country to compete in the free-style professional competition in India and the Middle East. He created a series of challenge wrestling clashes in Asian community with a great deal of success. He usually commenced his wrestling contest with a fierce yell and a vibrant charge towards the ring before conflicting with his opponent. He generally used Flying Kicks and submission maneuvers like the old Boston Crab to finish his opponent. He is famous for dominating some of the top men in wrestling. In the international wrestling community his most significant recorded victories were against Tarlok Singh of India, , Sheik Ali (Wadi Ayoub) of lebanon, Basco Bo, Sitting Bull of America, The Europeon Champion Bert Assirati , Tiger Ray Holden, Bloorma, Big Bill Verna , George Pencheff, Paul Watchin, Ron Harrison, George Zbisko, Zbisko-2, Baron von Heczey, Lofty Binnie of New Zealand , Tiger Joginder and Tiger Sucha Singh from India and Canadian Champion George Gordienko and the AWA World Champion Mad Dog Vachon, the two of the most feared Canadian wrestlers. And King Kong (Czaja); the largest attraction in the sports history.

Aslam is remembered as the Uncrowned King of Wrestling World. His undefeated career spans for over two decades and is alive with well-deserved victories. Aslam and his brother Bholu were the principal key figures of the new age Gama-Imam wrestling succession. Bholu only wrestled those who could beat his brothers. They formed a number of Sand-wrestling arenas within the country. The Karachi and Lahore wrestling-pits were the main Pahalwani units of these famous brothers. The principal wrestling establishment of Bilal Gunj at Lahore produced many good players in the sport. Similarly the Pakistan Chock Akhara of Bholu Pehalwan has played an important part in the sports history. According to the general point of view, Aslam’s wrestling clashes were very original and not like those for whom allegations of fixing a match and manipulating their victory in wrestling matches obsessed the panorama in the divided India.

The exact record of more then 300 professional fights of Aslam Pahalwan has not been arranged yet. But to recall a few unforgettable events, In 1953 Aslam Pahalwan challenged the wrestlers all over the world to compete against him and announced a reward of 100,000 Rupees to any wrestler who could beat him. Later in a challenge match Aslam Pahalwan defeated the famed Indian wrestler Tarlok Singh at the National Stadium in Karachi in round two. Then in a challenge match in Bombay , India , Aslam defeated Bert Assirati: the European Champion and the strongest man in wrestling within 6 minutes by slamming him unconscious. An Indian entrepreneur rewarded Aslam with a sum of rupees Ten Thousand on his victory. The 1957 Aslam Pahalwan tour of the Far East was a memorable event in the history of wrestling. Upon reaching Singapore Aslam announced a one hundred thousand dollar reward for any wrestler who could defeat him. In response to his challenge, 20 to 30 different wrestlers from around the world competed with him in challenge matches and suffered defeat at his hands. Even a number of wrestling champions, such as Tarlok Singh, George Pencheff , Sheik Ali (Wadi Ayub) and King Kong (Czaja) could not beat him. Aslam later beats Tiger Sucha Singh and Tiger Joginder at the National Stadium Karachi in a challenge match. In May 1962 he defeated Lofty Binnie of New Zealand and King Kong (Czaja) in Karachi. During the early 60’s he wrestled Sitting Bull and Sheik Ali (Wadi Ayub). And In the year 1967 Aslam Pahalwan toured European countries. This was the Bholu Pehalwan’s Expedition of European countries sponsored by Orig Williams. Aslam Pehalwan visited the United Kingdom with his brother the Great Bholu. This was a historic wrestling events of 1967. Aslam visited the leading hall of the North, Midlands and Scotland defeating all opponents. He remained undefeated after matching his skill against European and Canadian wrestlers.

During the early 1970s Aslam only wrestled with the visiting foreign wrestlers in exhibition bouts in Karachi and Lahore before he finally gave up professional wrestling. Aslam was last seen attending the majestic wrestling match between his younger brother Akram Pahalwan and the Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in 1976. Nowadays his wrestling followers miss him since he died long ago.

External Links

• The Uncrowned King Of The Wrestling World.