In a chokehold

How poor decisions, bad company, impulsive acts and an inflated ego wrecked Sushil Kumar’s life and career

- NAMRATA BIJI AHUJA AND NEERU BHATIA

SUSHIL KUMAR and Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium are inextricably linked, it seems.

He first came to the stadium as a 14-year-old rookie, hoping to learn the finer points of wrestling from the legendary Satpal Singh—coach, stadium administrator, and, as it would turn out, his father-in-law. After a decade of learning the ropes and scoring many a famous win on the mat, Sushil created history in Beijing in 2008. He became the first Indian since K.D. Jadhav (Helsinki 1952) to win Olympic bronze in wrestling. Most people would have been happy to hang up their boots there, but not Sushil. Four years later, at the London Olympics, he did himself one better—he won silver.

In 2015, Sushil began grappling with another challenge. He joined the Delhi government on deputation from Northern Railways, as an officer on special duty for promoting sports at the school level. As president of the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), Sushil took over from his father-in-law—he was now the legend looking for promising rookies.

Sushil’s dream-come-true story, however, came crashing down on May 4 this year. The nightmare began at the same place where the dream had begun—the Chhatrasal Stadium. That day, Sushil and a group of wrestlers allegedly attacked Sagar Dhankar, a 23-year-old former junior wrestling champion, in the stadium’s parking area. Two of Sagar’s friends, too, were badly beaten up. Sagar later succumbed to injuries.