Mangla Rai

Mangla Rai followed a tough regimen of exercises. After running 9 kilometers by foot he use to do four thousand squats and two thousand five hundred pushups. Sometimes he used to do rope trainings. Mangla Rai was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 160 Kilograms.

Mangla Rai came into public attention just after his first bout in Rangoon with Fattey Singh and Isha Nat. He made both the champions to bite the dust in the ring with his famous move ‘gadahlet’. In 1933 he came back to India and challenged Mustafa Pahalwan of Allahabad. Mustafa took him as a novice but got floored within 5 minutes when Mangla Rai used bahralli with full force. A star of wrestling was born in India after this famous bout. [2]

After defeating Fakhr-e-Hind & Rustam-e-Pakistan Ghulam Ghous he earned the title of Rustam-e-Hind. In the three decades of his career he won ninety five percent of bouts, becoming almost a living myth. This giant of wrestling was such a charismatic sportsperson that he had been an inspiration for generations.[3]

After beating Ghulam Gous in Benaras Bharat Narkesari Mangla Rai accepted the challenge of George Constantine. Romanian wrestler George was known as ‘Tiger of Europe.’ After defeating all his rivals in Europe he camped in Calcutta (Kolkata) challenging any one to dare him in the ring. Famous Puran Singh and Kesar Singh came forward to accept his challenge. But mahamalla Mangla Rai not only faced him but forced him to bite the dust.[4]

Tiger Joginder Singh was an Indian professional wrestler who was the first All Asia Tag Team Champion along with King Kong. He was considered one of the top professional wrestlers of India at that time. He was never defeated by his opponents but mahabali Mangla Rai floored him within ten minutes in a wrestling competition held in Bombay (Mumbai).[5]

It is believed that Kesar Singh was the only wrestler who was at equal strength with Mangla Rai and was never defeated by him. However records placed in personal diary of his mentor Pandaji of Varanasi speaks volumes about this renowned fight. It is stated in this record that 'Tiger of Punjab' Kesar Singh was floored by Hind Kesari Mangla Rai in Delhi but due to supporters pandemonium, the referee declared the match draw. In protest of this decision Mangla Rai refused to accept any award and prize money.[5]

In the year of 1963 Mangla Rai faced his last bout of wrestling with renowned wrestler Meharddin. Mangla Rai was 47 year old while Meharddin was only 27 years, however Mangla Rai used his famous Bahralli dav and Meharddin was thrown out of the ring. But due to low endurance of aging Rustam-e-Hind, the fight was announced drawn. After this fight Mangla Rai announced his retirement from the career of wrestling. He started living a peaceful farmer’s life in his native village. He discontinued the tough regimen of exercises and unfortunately he got diabetes. His health started deteriorating. Due to multi organ failure he breathed his last on 24 June 1976 in the city of Varanasi.[2]

Mangla Rai took care of all his disciples like Dukh Haran Jha of Darbhanga, Sukhdev Pehlwan of Azamgarh, Mohan Chaube of Mathura, his younger brother Kamala Rai, Brahmachari Rai, Mathura Rai, and Baleshwar Pehlwan etc. All of them were great wrestlers of their time. However Mangla Rai didn’t allow anyone to use even a single penny of their prize money. He bore all their expenses out of his own pocket. Mangla Rai was a true Guru in old Indian tradition. [6]