Lure of job brought Deepak to wrestling but 'ketli pehalwan' makes it big

Wrestling was just a route which Deepak Punia hoped would find him a good job to help sustain his family.

He wanted a job and was even offered the post of a sepoy in the Indian Army back in 2016.

But he was told to dream big and not settle for little things in life by none other than Sushil Kumar.

"Keep wrestling as your priority, jobs will chase you later," Sushil, India's most successful wrestler with two Olympic medals and a world title, had told him, besides arranging for a sponsorship.

Deepak listened to the advice of his senior wrestler at the Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi and within three years bagged the big titles on offer in age groups.

He became a World Cadet champion in 2016 and only last month won the junior World title, only the fourth Indian ever to do so and first in 18 years.

Within one month of that feat in Estonia, he found himself face-to-face with his idol and Iranian great Hasan Yazdani for a clash, the winner of which would be crowned the senior world champion.

It is a pity that the bout did not happen because of the ankle injury he sustained during the semifinal against Switzerland's Stefan Reichmuth and he settled for a silver.

He missed out on a great opportunity to wrestle with one of the best the sport has seen in its history.

But the last three years in Deepak Punia's life still sounds like a dream.

So, what is it that makes Deepak India's best in heavyweight category in recent times. The results have come thick and fast.

"It's a combination of a lot of things. Everything has to come together," said India's former foreign coach Vladimir Mestvirishvili, who has played a key role in Deepak's progress as a world-class grappler.

"You need four things -- brain, power, luck and flexibility on the mat. Deepak has all. He is a disciplined wrestler and that he gets from his father.

"Boys usually get bored with the repetition process when they are told to learn a new technique but Deepak would do it for two, three, four days unless he gets it. It comes from family."
"Whenever I get a chance, like after the tournaments, I go out and eat even junk food. But once the break is over, I don't think about anything else. Wrestling and training is life then."
"I was desperate to get good results so that I can get a job somewhere to help my parents. My father used to sell milk. He worked really hard. I wanted to contribute in some way."