New Delhi, March 14: Wrestling is a traditional sport in India. Over the years, several wrestlers have emerged, playing a significant role in elevating Indian wrestling to new heights through their dedication and hard work. Among these notable figures is Vijay Pal Yadav, famously known as Guru Hanuman.
Vijay Pal Yadav was born on March 15, 1901, in Chidawa, Rajasthan. Despite never attending school, he developed a passion for wrestling at a very young age. He dreamed of achieving greatness in the sport. Thus, he began wrestling in akharas from an early age. In 1919, he moved to Delhi to open a shop near Birla Mills in Sabzi Mandi, but his heart was set on wrestling. He dedicated his time to the sport and quickly gained fame in the region.
As both a wrestler and a coach, Guru Hanuman transformed traditional Indian wrestling into a modern form that met international standards. Over time, he coached nearly all of India’s freestyle international wrestlers. His disciples, Sudesh Kumar and Prem Nath, won gold medals at the 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games. Satpal and Kartar Singh secured gold medals at the Asian Games in 1982 and 1986, respectively. Eight of his students have received the prestigious Arjuna Award, India’s highest sports honor. Guru Hanuman preferred a vegetarian diet.
He tragically passed away in a car accident near Meerut on May 24, 1999, while en route to Haridwar. He was honored with the esteemed Dronacharya Award in 1987 and the Padma Shri in 1983. On August 9, 2003, former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana unveiled a statue of Guru Hanuman at the Kalyan Vihar Sports Stadium in New Delhi.
Indian industrialist K.K. Birla provided land for him to establish an akhara in Malkaganj, Sabzi Mandi (Old Delhi), leading to the creation of the ‘Birla Mills Vyayamshala’ around 1925, later known as Guru Hanuman Akhara. This akhara serves as a training center for wrestlers in traditional Hindi dialect.
Founded in 1925 near Roshanara Bagh in North Delhi, this akhara is the oldest existing wrestling school in India. Notable wrestlers who have emerged from this akhara include Dara Singh, Hans Ram, Guru Satpal, Uddal Singh, Subhash Verma, Virender Singh, Sushil Kumar, Yogendra Kumar, Vishal Trikha, Anuj Chaudhary, Rajeev Tomar, Anil Mann, Sujeet Mann, Chand Khatri, Naveen, and Rakesh Gunga. Wrestlers consider the land of this akhara to be very auspicious. In 2014, the wrestling academy was selected for the National Sports Promotion Award by the Government of India.
Currently, Guru Hanuman’s disciple Satpal Singh is a prominent wrestling coach. His students include renowned names like Sushil Kumar and Ravi Dahiya, who have won medals for the country at the Olympics.
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