Bajrang PuniaBajrang Puniahas become a cult figure in wrestling fandom due to his swag and social mediapresence.
“Bhaisahab, I have no ideawhy people are attracted to me. There are so many times that instead ofsupporting their own country, they root for Bajrang.”
Germany, Kazakhstan,Russia, USA. Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia has made crowds fall in love withhim around the world. The reason, though, is beyond him.
“It’s perhaps the crazefor wrestling in these countries. You don’t get this much love in India,because not a lot of people truly follow wrestling,” Bajrang tells The IndianExpress from his training base in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “In all these countries,at any tournament or event, the stadiums are full of people with love forwrestling.”
But why is so much of itdirected towards Bajrang? The 26-year-old phenom is a three-time medallist atWorlds but yet to strike gold. He hasn’t made his Olympic bow. There have beenIndian wrestlers, nay, combat sport champions from India with biggerachievements. But nobody makes fans as easily as Bajrang.
Before his stint in theGerman league last February, the country’s wrestling forums went intooverdrive. Commenters wondered whether he would live up to the hype after atough Pro Wrestling League season back home. Others reposted speculation of thedebutant being under the weather. Cut to the Indian cutting down opponents tosize, to the chorus ‘Bajrang, Bajrang’.
Bajrang remembers waking upto back pages bathed with his photos. “Inder Tiger, Inder Joker. One whochanged the game. Photos in every newspaper and channels,” recalls Bajrang. “Myclub (VfK 07 Schifferstadt) hadn’t won the league title in 14 years.”
Two months later, he wasat the Ali Aliev Invitational in Dagestan; the wrestling capital of Russia. Inthe final, he defeated a local guy as the crowd favourite.
“You watch those wrestlingvideos from Dagestan, they are exactly like the Germany one. The crowd isbehind me even though I am beating the local guy,” Bajrang says. “Russia islovely and whenever I step on the mat, they start the chants.”
Russia’s love for Bajrangrubbed off on their neighbours. Kazakhstan hosted the World Championships lastyear, and eventual bronze medallist Bajrang landed a day before his bout. Indiahad a camp there, and several local kids kept asking them “where is Bajrang?When will he come?”
Bajrang PuniaDuring astint in Germany last year, Bajrang Puni earned a legion of fans after helpinghis club Vfk07 win the league title after 14 years.
“When I reached, I madesure I met every single one of them. I got a lot of love in Kazakhstan.”
Quizzed for reasons for somuch fan following, Bajrang responds with a sheepish mix of humility andcuriosity. “I don’t know why. You would have to ask them that.”
Blaine Henry, a30-year-old from Louisiana, runs a combat sports website called the ‘The FightLibrary’. He is also the leader of a group of Bajrang fanatics, efficientlynamed ‘Bajrang Boys’.
“It started with a fantasywrestling group. A few in the group, myself included, really enjoy Bajrang,”says Henry. “Not only wrestling but what he does on social media, the photosand his words.”
Read | ‘Zindagi rahi tohhi Olympics khel payenge’: Bajrang Punia says better if Tokyo Games arepostponed
Last month, Henryscampered to secure the Bajrang Boys Twitter handle after the group wasadjudged the best social media innovators by wrestling enthusiasts. The fanclub, however, truly became formal when their idol agreed to an interview.
“I sent him an email andhe got back to us a couple days later. I learnt a lot about his life, where hecomes from,” says Henry. “We have been told that Bajrang is completely aware ofus. Having him know and follow everything is like a joke that seems to havegone too far.”
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The question thoughremains: Why Bajrang? It’s in the name, to begin with. “Mainly because the namesounds cool,” Henry laughs.
Baj-Rang. The twosyllables, drawn out in thick accents around the world, make the name extremelychantable. The process is further facilitated by the repeated first namephenomenon several Indian athletes are used to.
“My name in the passportis Bajrang, without a surname. So at wrestling competitions, often it becomesBajrang Bajrang. Ye aise hi trend chala dete hain fir,” he laughs.
On the mat is where thevirtuoso captivates the audience with his breakneck style. Sean Bormet, coachat the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club where Bajrang is currently training, believesAmericans love him because of a familiar wrestling style.
“It’s similar in how hard we wrestle, creatinga lot of pressure on our opponents and using our hands,” says Bormet. “I thinkAmerican fans appreciate wrestlers who compete the way Bajrang competes. I dothink American wrestling fans have taken notice of him more so because of hiswrestling style. And what a great competitor he is.”
Bajrang agrees with theassessment.
“My style is very close tothe style of American wrestlers. The way we use our power and stamina. Maybe,that’s why they like it a lot more. Plus, I’ve faced a lot of Americans, atWorlds and other events. So, they know about me.”
The three hosts ofFloWrestling Radio show recently discussed the Bajrang phenomenon at length.And while they agreed that the Indian’s social media swagger and selfies fromthe gym or clad in fine attire play a role, how he wrestles, and how often, isthe real key.
“It’s because he wrestleslike an American and we’re not used to seeing that from foreigners,” opinedKyle Bratke. “The Russians, they don’t wrestle like us. But this guy, he goesout and he wrestles hard in your face for six minutes.
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