As Indian wrestlers prepare for the upcoming London Olympics, the list of their priorities, interestingly, includes prior arrangements for pure vegetarian food for the UK sojourn. They are even seeking assistance of Indian embassy there for the same.
In an exclusive interaction with Millennium Post, the renowned veteran wrestler of India, Mahabali Satpal, who also coaches the Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Sushil Kumar, said, 'We are putting in a lot of hard work for the competition. We have often faced this problem of non-availability of pure vegetarian food when we go for our assignments abroad. Since diet is an important part of our training, we have decided to make arrangements for vegetarian food ourselves. We have been getting Indian embassy's help too. Now, the members of our team are taking food packets with them for adequate supply.'
A confident Satpal is sure that this time his team will fulfil his wish to win gold medals for India. He says, 'I have always dreamt of winning gold in Olympics for my country. I couldn't do it in my time, but I am leaving no stone unturned in training my students to realise this dream.'
Satpal now works as a deputy director of education of sports and physical education in the Delhi government. He also runs an akhada for coaching wrestling near the North Campus of Delhi university.
Satpal has won about 3,000 fights of different character in his long journey, which started in a small Bawana village when a few local boys beat him up as a child. He says, 'When I was in the fifth standard, two boys beat me up. I told my mother about it, who in turn told my father. He then started training me and saw potential in me. Even the boys who had beaten me realised my potential and decided to be my friends. My mentor Guru Hanuman played the key role in what I am today.'
Satpal has been a national champion 16 times in different weight categories and has represented India internationally as many as 40 times. He won a gold in Asiad in 1982.
In an exclusive interaction with Millennium Post, the renowned veteran wrestler of India, Mahabali Satpal, who also coaches the Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Sushil Kumar, said, 'We are putting in a lot of hard work for the competition. We have often faced this problem of non-availability of pure vegetarian food when we go for our assignments abroad. Since diet is an important part of our training, we have decided to make arrangements for vegetarian food ourselves. We have been getting Indian embassy's help too. Now, the members of our team are taking food packets with them for adequate supply.'
A confident Satpal is sure that this time his team will fulfil his wish to win gold medals for India. He says, 'I have always dreamt of winning gold in Olympics for my country. I couldn't do it in my time, but I am leaving no stone unturned in training my students to realise this dream.'
Satpal now works as a deputy director of education of sports and physical education in the Delhi government. He also runs an akhada for coaching wrestling near the North Campus of Delhi university.
Satpal has won about 3,000 fights of different character in his long journey, which started in a small Bawana village when a few local boys beat him up as a child. He says, 'When I was in the fifth standard, two boys beat me up. I told my mother about it, who in turn told my father. He then started training me and saw potential in me. Even the boys who had beaten me realised my potential and decided to be my friends. My mentor Guru Hanuman played the key role in what I am today.'
Satpal has been a national champion 16 times in different weight categories and has represented India internationally as many as 40 times. He won a gold in Asiad in 1982.