LucretiaGoldhar at 03:13, 26 June 2025

2025-06-26T03:13:00Z

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{{Short description|Indian wrestler (1937–2010)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor =
| name = Chandgi Ram
| image = Chandgiram.jpg
| caption = Chandgi Ram in 1969
| fullname =
| nickname =
| nationality = [[India]]n
| residence =
| birth_name = Chandgi Ram Kaliraman
| birth_date = 9 November 1937
| birth_place = [[Sisai, Hisar|Sisai village]], [[Hisar district|Hisar]], [[British India]] <br/>(now in [[Sisai, Hisar|Sisai village]], [[Hisar district]], [[Haryana]], [[India]])
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2010|6|29|1937|11|9}}<ref name="HT, June 2010" />
| death_place = [[Delhi]], [[India]]
| height = 6 ft 4 in<ref name="Sports Reference">{{cite web |title=Chandgi Ram |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/chandgi-ram-1.html |website=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=2 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213182837/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/chandgi-ram-1.html |archive-date=13 December 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| weight = 198 lbs<ref name="Sports Reference" />
| country = [[India]]
| website = {{URL|http://masterchandgiram.in/}}
| sport = [[Wrestling]]
| spouse =
| event = [[Freestyle wrestling]]
| collegeteam =
| universityteam =
| club =
| team =
| turnedpro =
| partner =
| former_partner =
| coach =
| retired =
| coaching =
| worlds =
| regionals =
| nationals =
| olympics =
| highestranking =
| show-medals =
| updated =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Freestyle wrestling]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1970 Asian Games|1970 Bangkok]] | [[Wrestling at the 1970 Asian Games|100 kg]]}}
}}

'''Chandgi Ram Kaliraman''' (9 November 1937 – 29 June 2010), often referred to as Master Chandgi Ram, was a [[freestyle wrestler]] from [[India]]. He won gold medal in the [[1970 Asian Games]] and represented India in the [[1972 Summer Olympics]]. Along with amateur wrestling, he was very active in the [[Pehlwani|traditional Indian wrestling]], where he had won all major titles, including [[Hind Kesari]], ''Bharat Kesari'', ''Bharat Bhim'', ''Rustom-e-Hind'' and ''Maha Bharat Kesari''.

He is remembered for the work that he has done for the introduction, acceptance and popularisation of the women's wrestling in India. Some of his trainees went on to become prominent women's wrestling coaches of the country.

In 1969, [[Government of India]] (GoI) conferred the [[Arjuna Award]] on him for his achievements in the tradition wrestling. And two years later, he was conferred with the country's fourth highest civilian award – [[Padma Shri]].

==Early and personal life==
Chandgi Ram Kaliraman<ref>{{cite news |title=Wrestling for livelihood |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/wrestling-for-livelihood-408592.html |work=Deccan Herald |date=6 August 2014 |access-date=9 May 2024}}</ref> was born on 9 November 1937 in [[Sisai, Hisar|Sisai village]] of [[British India]]'s [[Hisar district|Hisar]], which is located in the present-day [[Hisar district]] of [[Haryana]], India. He took up wrestling at a comparatively older age of 21 and became national champion three years later in 1961.<ref name="HT, June 2010">{{cite news |title=Asian games medallist Chandgi Ram passes away |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/other/asian-games-medallist-chandgi-ram-passes-away/story-sx9bWSVzesPax3KcIqu2UI.html |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=30 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628210524/http://www.hindustantimes.com/other/asian-games-medallist-chandgi-ram-passes-away/story-sx9bWSVzesPax3KcIqu2UI.html |archive-date=28 June 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Duggal, June 2010">{{cite journal |last1=Duggal |first1=Saurabh |title=Haryana: In the service of the nation |journal=Haryana Review|date=June 2010 |volume=24 |issue=6 |page=36 |url=http://haryanasamvad.gov.in/store/document/haryana_review_JUNE-2010.pdf |access-date=2 September 2016 |publisher=[[Government of Haryana]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411031911/http://haryanasamvad.gov.in/store/document/haryana_review_JUNE-2010.pdf |archive-date=11 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> He married three times and had three daughters and three sons.<ref name="Sengupta, Sept 2014" />

Ram, who was popularly known as Master Chandgi Ram, served in [[Indian army]]'s [[Jat Regiment]], along with working as a teacher in his early life. He later on served as Haryana's Additional Director of Sports.<ref name="Zee, June 2010">{{cite news |title=Kalmadi condoles death of wrestler Chandgi Ram |url=http://zeenews.india.com/home/kalmadi-condoles-death-of-wrestler-chandgi-ram_637432.html |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[Zee News]] |agency=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]] |date=29 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814084154/http://zeenews.india.com/home/kalmadi-condoles-death-of-wrestler-chandgi-ram_637432.html|archive-date=14 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ram was a lifelong [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]]. In 1969, he was described as being "ninety kilograms of vegetarian muscle".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Alter |first1=Joseph S. |title=The Wrestler's Body: Identity and Ideology in North India |date=3 August 1992 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-07697-6 |page=127 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kMolDQAAQBAJ&q=The+Wrestler%27s+Body:+Identity+and+Ideology+in+North+India |language=en}}</ref>

==Career==
Ram became national champion for the first time in 1961 at [[Ajmer]], regaining his title two years later at [[Jalandhar]].<ref name="Duggal, June 2010" /> Although he represented India in [[amateur wrestling]], he remained very active in the [[Pehlwani|traditional Indian wrestling]] in 1960s, where he had won all major titles, including [[Hind Kesari]], ''Bharat Kesari'', ''Bharat Bhim'', ''Rustom-e-Hind'' and ''Maha Bharat Kesari''. In 1969, [[Government of India]] (GoI) conferred the [[Arjuna Award]] on him for his achievements in the tradition wrestling.<ref name="ToI, June 2010" />

In the [[1970 Asian Games]], he represented India in the [[Wrestling at the 1970 Asian Games|100 kg freestyle event]]. He reached to the final defeating en route the world championships medallist Abolfazl Anvari of Iran. In the final, he defeated Japan's [[Shizuo Yada]], there by winning gold medal.<ref name="ToI, June 2010">{{cite news |title=1970 Asian Games champion wrestler Chandgi Ram passes away |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/wrestling/1970-Asian-Games-champion-wrestler-Chandgi-Ram-passes-away/articleshow/6106505.cms |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[The Times of India]] |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] |date=29 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628204952/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/wrestling/1970-Asian-Games-champion-wrestler-Chandgi-Ram-passes-away/articleshow/6106505.cms |archive-date=28 June 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Asian Games: Freestyle Seniors: 1970-12-10 Bangkok (THA): 100.0 kg |url=https://www.iat.uni-leipzig.de/datenbanken/dbfoeldeak/daten.php?wkid=6F45914D7C084378A5C559B8AB68C9A8&gkl=9 |website=iat.uni-leipzig.de |publisher=[[United World Wrestling]] |access-date=2 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814085418/https://www.iat.uni-leipzig.de/datenbanken/dbfoeldeak/daten.php?wkid=6F45914D7C084378A5C559B8AB68C9A8&gkl=9 |archive-date=14 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

For the [[1972 Summer Olympics]], he shifted to lower weight category and represented India in the [[Wrestling at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 90 kg|90 kg freestyle event]].<ref name="Sports Reference" /> He lost his first bout to Canada's [[George Saunders (Canadian wrestler)|George Saunders]]. He was eliminated after losing his next bout to the eventual silver medallist [[Gennady Strakhov]].<ref name="Die Spiele">{{cite web |title=Die Spiele: Volume 3: The competitions |page=138 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1972/1972s3.pdf |publisher=[[LA84 Foundation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106160153/http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1972/1972s3.pdf |archive-date=6 January 2016 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 September 2016 }}</ref>

After participating in the 1972 Olympics, he shifted from Haryana to Delhi, where he opened up his wrestling training centre in 1975 – ''Chandgi Ram Vyayamshala''.<ref name="Sengupta, Sept 2014" /><ref name="Arora, Feb 2015">{{cite news |last1=Arora |first1=Bhanvi |title=Chandgi Ram Akhara promoting women wrestling since 40 years |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/locality/chandni-chowk/chandgi-ram-akhara-promoting-women-wrestling-40-years-53722 |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |date=20 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728045901/http://www.dnaindia.com/locality/chandni-chowk/chandgi-ram-akhara-promoting-women-wrestling-40-years-53722 |archive-date=28 July 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Work for the women's wrestling in India==
Ram's struggle to introduce women's wrestling in India begun in 1997, which was the year of its inclusion in the Olympics. To start with, he persuaded both of his daughters – [[Sonika Kaliraman]] and Deepika Kaliraman – to join wrestling. His wrestling training center, which is commonly known as the ''Chandgi Ram Akhara'', became India's first training center for women's wrestling. He also started to persuade coaches and wrestlers around the country to introduce women's exhibition matches in the traditional wrestling tournaments. All these efforts resulted in severe opposition both from the outsiders and the insiders of his training center. At one of the instances, when Ram's two daughters went to the wrestling pit during a village tournament of Haryana, they, along with Ram, were stoned and chased by the villagers. But, in spite of all the opposition, he kept on his efforts. Sonika went on to win country's highest wrestling title – Bharat Kesri – along with becoming Asian Junior Wrestling Champion.<ref name="Sengupta, Sept 2014">{{cite news |last1=Sengupta |first1=Rudraneil |title=Six Ways to Break the Shackles |url=https://unitedworldwrestling.org/article/six-ways-to-break-the-shackles |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[United World Wrestling]] |date=29 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105091508/http://unitedworldwrestling.org/article/six-ways-to-break-the-shackles |archive-date=5 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Khurana |first1=Suanshu |title=Fight the Good Fight |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/fight-the-good-fight/959180/0 |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=7 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811190538/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/fight-the-good-fight/959180/0 |archive-date=11 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Ram also influenced future women's wrestling coaches. One of his wards, [[Mahavir Singh Phogat]] – who trained at Ram's center since the age of 16 – was persuaded by Ram to introduce his daughters to wrestling. Phogat went on to train his daughters [[Geeta Phogat|Geeta]] and [[Babita Kumari|Babita]], along with their cousin [[Vinesh Phogat|Vinesh]], all of whom became international wrestlers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Norris |first1=Pritam |title=Vinesh and Sakshi's Olympics berth a new page in the story of female wrestling in India |url=http://www.firstpost.com/sports/vinesh-phogat-sakshi-malik-rio-olympics-2016-india-female-wrestling-master-changdi-ram-2771416.html |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[Firstpost]] |date=10 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815235208/http://www.firstpost.com/sports/vinesh-phogat-sakshi-malik-rio-olympics-2016-india-female-wrestling-master-changdi-ram-2771416.html |archive-date=15 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Jabbar, who got inclined toward women's wrestling during his training stint under Ram, went on to train [[Alka Tomar]]. Jagroop Rathi, Ram's co-coach, was also convinced by him to introduce his daughter [[Neha Rathi]] into wrestling.<ref name="Sengupta, Sept 2014" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chaturvedi |first1=Uthra G. |title=He helped women storm a male bastion |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/he-helped-women-storm-a-male-bastion/640134/0 |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=30 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814062712/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/he-helped-women-storm-a-male-bastion/640134/0|archive-date=14 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Death==
Ram died on 29 June 2010 from a heart attack, aged 72.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Selvaraj |first1=Jonathan |title=Guruji is gone, but at his akhada training will go on like always - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/guruji-is-gone-but-at-his-akhada-training-will-go-on-like-always/640189/ |access-date=28 May 2023 |work=Indian Express |date=30 June 2010}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Arjuna Award]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Arjun Award Winners for "Wrestling" |url=http://yas.nic.in/arjun-award-winners-wrestling|website=yas.nic.in |publisher=[[Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports]] |access-date=2 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123043137/http://yas.nic.in/en/yas2/winner-list-arjun-award-wrestling |archive-date=23 January 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Padma Shri]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Padma Shri Awardees |url=http://archive.india.gov.in/myindia/padmashri_awards_list1.php?start=1910 |website=[[India.gov.in]] |publisher=[[Government of India]] |access-date=2 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208075142/http://archive.india.gov.in/myindia/padmashri_awards_list1.php?start=1910 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy==
* A sports stadium in [[Uttar Pradesh]] is named after him – [[Master Chandgiram Sports Stadium, Saifai]].
* ''All India Chandgi Ram Gold Cup Wrestling Tournament'' is annually organised in his remembrance.<ref name="Chandgi tourney">{{cite news |title=Citybriefs: Wrestling tourney from 7th |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/citybriefs-wrestling-tourney-from-7th/ |access-date=2 September 2016 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |agency=Express News Service |date=3 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828045330/http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/citybriefs-wrestling-tourney-from-7th/ |archive-date=28 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/chandgi-ram-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418090800/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/chandgi-ram-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Chandgi Ram}}
*[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080810/spectrum/main3.htm Wrestling for fame]
*The Physical Body 2 [http://www.thephysicalbody2.com] a visit with Guru Chandi-ram is included in the documentary

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}
{{Physical culture}}
{{Asian Games Champions Wrestling Freestyle Heavyweight Men}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Chandgi}}
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Asian Games wrestlers for India]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 1970 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Olympic wrestlers for India]]
[[Category:Wrestlers at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Indian male sport wrestlers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Sport wrestlers from Haryana]]
[[Category:People associated with physical culture]]
[[Category:People from Hisar district]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1970 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in wrestling]]

Chandgi Ram - Revision history

LucretiaGoldhar at 03:13, 26 June 2025