'The Great Gama': Google Doodle honours undefeated Amritsar-born wrestling champion

Search engine Google on Sunday dedicated its doodle to one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Gama Pehlwan, on his 144th birth anniversary. Gama, who remained undefeated throughout his international matches, earned the name “The Great Gama" not only due to his extraordinary accomplishments in the ring but also due to the impact and representation he brought to Indian culture. Born in Amritsar in 1878 as Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt, was also known as Rustam-e-Hind besides his ring name. According to Google, Gama’s workout routine included 500 lunges and 500 pushups when he was only 10-year-old. In 1888, he competed in a lunge contest with over 400 wrestlers from around the country and won. 

His success at the competition gained him fame throughout the royal states of India. It wasn’t until he turned 15 that he picked up wrestling. Further, the search engine highlighted how he became a national hero and world champion in 1910. As per Google, Gama always managed to hit the headlines not only in Indian newspapers but also the international English dailies. He earned many titles during his career, including the Indian versions of the World Heavyweight Championship (1910) and the World Wrestling Championship (1927). In 1927, he was bestowed with the title of “Tiger” after the World Wrestling Championship tournament.

Even Bruce Lee admirers "The Great Gama"

He was even presented a silver mace by the Prince of Wales during his visit to India. When India and Pakistan got divided in 1947, he was considered a hero for saving the lives of many Hindus. Gama’s legacy continues to inspire modern day fighters. Even Bruce Lee is a known admirer and incorporates aspects of Gama's conditioning into his own training routine. He spent the rest of his days until his death in 1960 in Lahore, which became a part of Pakistan after the partition. "Happy 144th birthday, Gama Pehlwan!" wrote Google.   

Image: Google Doodle