Sushil Kumar Birthday Special: Here's a look at the wrestler’s career so far

Former India wrestler Sushil Kumar (born May 26, 1983), who turns 39 on Thursday, is an Olympic bronze medal-winning grappler.

Sushil, who carried the Indian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, won a bronze and a silver medal at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games respectively.

He was the recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna—India's highest honour for sportspersons in July 2009.

On October 3, 2010, Sushil handed the Queen's Baton to Prince Charles in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.

Sushil also won the gold medal in the 74 kg division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Sushil, who was inspired to take up wrestling by his father, himself a wrestler, trained in pehlwani wrestling at the akhada (wrestling school) in the Chhatrasal Stadium from the age of 14, is presently employed with the Indian Railways as an assistant commercial manager.

Sushil was arrested by Delhi Police in connection with the murder of former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankhar during a brawl in the Chhatrasal Stadium on May 4, 2021.

After arresting Sushil, Delhi Police presented him in Rohini court and the court ordered a six-day remand of Kumar to Delhi police. In October 2021, a judge ordered the wrestler to be held without bail. The decision was reached after arguments from both sides, and a review of evidence from the prosecution, including a video taken by an alleged accomplice of a man purported to be Kumar engaged in the attack.