Mangla Rai

Legendary wrestler Rustam-e-Hind Mangla Rai was born in the month of October 1916 in a Bhumihar family of Joga Musahib Village in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. His father Ramchandra Rai and his uncle Radha Rai, were also well-known wrestlers. After attaining 16 years of age he joined police services as constable but his destiny was waiting for something very different and significant. He left his job and moved to Barma (Myanmar) where his father and uncle were residing and pursuing their professional careers. In Rangoon, Mangla started taking lessons in wrestling. In those days the great wrestler Shiv Murat Tiwari of Benaras was also practicing in an Akhara in Rangoon. He saw the physique of this young aspirant and began to train him. Shiv Murat Tiwari made Mangala a master of south-east Asian moves of wrestling. After a few years Mangla Rai came back to his motherland but he never forgot his first guru. He named his elder daughter 'Shiv Murat' paying gratitude to his guru. ==Career==

Training and diet Mangla Rai followed a tough regimen of exercises. After running 9 kilometers he used to do four thousand squats and two thousand five hundred pushups. Sometimes he used to do rope trainings. Mangla Rai was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 160 Kilograms. First encounter with Mustafa Pahelwan Mangla Rai came into public attention just after his first bout in Rangoon with Fattey Singh and Isha Nat. He made both the champions to bite the dust in the ring with his famous move 'gadahlet'. In 1933 he came back to India and challenged Mustafa Pahalwan of Allahabad. Mustafa took him as a novice but got floored within 5 minutes when Mangla Rai used bahralli with full force. A star of wrestling was born in India after this famous bout. Fight with George Constentine After beating Ghulam Gous in Benaras Bharat Narkesari Mangla Rai accepted the challenge of George Constantine. Romanian wrestler George was known as 'Tiger of Europe.' After defeating all his rivals in Europe he camped in Calcutta (Kolkata) challenging any one to dare him in the ring. Famous Puran Singh and Kesar Singh came forward to accept his challenge. But mahamalla Mangla Rai not only faced him but forced him to bite the dust. Fight With Tiger Joginder Singh Tiger Joginder Singh was an Indian professional wrestler who was the first All Asia Tag Team Champion along with King Kong. He was considered one of the top professional wrestlers of India at that time. He was never defeated by his opponents but mahabali Mangla Rai floored him within ten minutes in a wrestling competition held in Bombay (Mumbai). Famous bout with Kesar Singh It is believed that Kesar Singh was the only wrestler who was at equal strength with Mangla Rai and was never defeated by him. However records placed in personal diary of his mentor Pandaji of Varanasi speaks volumes about this renowned fight. It is stated in this record that 'Tiger of Punjab' Kesar Singh was floored by Hind Kesari Mangla Rai in Delhi but due to supporters pandemonium, the referee declared the match draw. In protest of this decision Mangla Rai refused to accept any award and prize money. ==Championships and accomplishments==

• "Rustam-e-Hind": After defeating Ghulam Ghous Statue outside the village near "Shiv" temple ==See also==