Gama’s birthday passes silently

KARACHI: Despite remaining undefeated during his illustrious 52-year of wrestling career, the birthday of legendary Gama Pehalwan passed silently at Lahore on Wednesday.

“Yes there is complete calm on the occasion of his birth day today (May 22) in Lahore. In PML (N) and PPP regimes, dangals used to be held here to observe his birth day. But nothing is there this year and its shocking,” Gama’s grandson Nasir Bholu Pehalwan told ‘The News’ from Lahore on Wednesday.

“His is a long and interesting history. He never slept with peace for many years and remained awfully busy in achieving his goals. He was extremely hard working Pehalwan and is an inspiration for generations to come,” Nasir said.

“He had six sons and four daughters and none of them are alive,” Nasir informed.

Pakistan’s premier wrestler and two-time beach wrestling world champion Mohammad Inam also paid tribute to Gama. “Gama is a legendary Pehalwan. We should learn from his wrestling career. Even Bruce Lee used to follow him. I believe that he was the greatest Pehalwan of the last century and I don’t think that the world will ever produce a grappler like him,” Inam said.

Born on May 22, 1878, in Amritsar, Gama, whose real name was Ghulam Mohammad, was the grandfather of Kalsoom Nawaz, late wife of former Prime Minister Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif.