Mukhtiar Singh

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Mukhtiar Singh

| image = File:P Mukhtiar singh123.jpg

| caption = Singh receiving Arjun Award from President Dr. Zakhir Hussain, 1967

| nationality = Indian

| nickname = Mukhiya Pahalwan,jatmal

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1943|10|25}}

| birth_place = Baltikari, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|11|19|1943|10|25|df=yes}}

| death_place = 105 Saket Puri Maholi Road Mathura, India

| height = {{convert|172|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

| spouse = Surja Devi

| children = Brij Mohan Singh(NIS Coach)
Geeta Singh
Ravindra Chaudhary

| country = India

| sport = Wrestling

| module = {{Infobox military person

| embed = yes

| allegiance = {{Flag|India}}

| branch = {{Army|India}}

| serviceyears = 1963–1988

| rank = 25px Honorary Captain

}}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}

{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Olympic Games |title =Mukhtiar Singh at Olympics|url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/mukhtiar-singh}}

| show-medals = true

}}

File:Captain Mukhtiar Singh.jpg

Captain Mukhtiar Singh (25 October 1943 – 19 November 2019), popularly known as Mukhiya, was an Indian wrestler. He was the first one to grab two gold medals for India in Commonwealth Games{{Cite web|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/magazine/cwg-wrestling-a-reputation-to-live-up-to/article23425883.ece|title=CWG Wrestling: A reputation to live up to|first=Y. B.|last=Sarangi|website=Sportstar}} and also he won a bronze medal in the 1970 Asian Games. He served Indian Army for 26 years and retired as Hon. Captain in 1988. Indian Army honored him with Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his outstanding services.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/mukhtiar-singh-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418120823/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/mukhtiar-singh-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Mukhtiar Singh Olympic Results |access-date=5 April 2019}} He was awarded Arjun Award, the second-highest sporting honour of India, in 1967.{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Ministry Of Youth Affairs And Sports Of India |title =Arjun Award Awarded to Mukhtiar Singh|url=https://yas.nic.in/arjun-award-winners-wrestling}}

Biography

File:The Daring Grappler.jpg

Mukhtiar Singh was born on 25 October 1943 in village Baltikari, Raya, he belongs to a jat family Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Olympic Games |title =Biographical information of Muktiar Singh|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/58737}} He was popularly known as Mukhiya Pahalwan.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/sport/story/20120827-olympic-silver-medallist-sushil-kumar-yogeshwar-dutt-bronze-759466-1999-11-30|title=Haryana's Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt bring glory for the state at Olympics 2012|author=Asit Jolly |date=November 30, 1999 |magazine=India Today}} His father Ninua Singh was a farmer while his mother Parmali Devi was a housewife. Singh grew up with five brothers. At the age of 12 he had a good hold on his sport and was known by people of nearby districts. After gaining some potential he started practicing under the guidance of his uncle Amichand Pahalwan. He was enrolled in 2nd Jat Regiment, Indian Army in 1963.{{Cite web | url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=vcRGnsVKziZrPGjoTL2exg==&ParentID=GXSWxisc54XbjGzP4107XmhOibJw/DDPJquzLOANLK0= | title=The Official Home Page of the Indian Army }} Later he participated in Services wrestling in the lightweight class and became the champion of Eastern Command on his very first appearance.{{Cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3037/event/1494|title=Wrestling Freestyle 74kg - Men Edinburgh 1970 | Commonwealth Games Federation}} But he was firstly recognized in the Indian Army when he fought against international wrestler of Indian Army Pahalwan Uday Chand during services tournament. He was awarded with gold medal in the lightweight in the Services championship in 1965.{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Olympic Games |title =Welterweight, Freestyle (≤74 kilograms), Men|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/126604}} He stood first in 1966 in his weight class. He was accordingly selected to represent India in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Kingston, Jamaica in 1966.{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Commonwealth Games India |title =Commonwealth participation Of Mukhtiar Singh|url=https://olympic.ind.in/winner-athletes/48}} He won a gold medal defeating all wrestlers in his class there, including the famous Pakistani wrestler M. Hussain and Greig of New Zealand. He was obstructed by a knee injury from taking part in the Vth Asian games at Bangkok in 1966.{{Cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/event/1492|title=Wrestling Freestyle 68kg - Men Kingston 1966 | Commonwealth Games Federation}}

Singh was promoted to naib subedar on 15 October 1974,{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=593 |date=26 April 1975 |work=The Gazette of India}} and to subedar on 1 June 1980.{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1354 |date=29 November 1980|url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1980/O-1000-1980-0048-44616.pdf |work=The Gazette of India}} Promoted to subedar-major on 1 April 1986,{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1451 |date=27 September 1986|url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1986/O-0726-1986-0039-32322.pdf |work=The Gazette of India}} he received a promotion to honorary captain in the 1988 Independence Day promotions list.{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4 (Extraordinary): Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=36 |date=15 August 1988|url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1988/E-0654-1988-0002-28586.pdf |work=The Gazette of India}}

Achievements and participation

File:Captain Mukhtiar Singh in Kabul.jpg, Afghanistan]]

Olympic games{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Olympic Games |title = Wrestling at the 1968 Mexico Summer Olympic Games|url = http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1968/WRE/mens-welterweight-freestyle.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100420165015/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1968/WRE/mens-welterweight-freestyle.html|archive-date = 20 April 2010}}
1968: Mexico Olympic
1972: Munich Olympic
World Wrestling Championship
1967: Delhi [India]
1970: Edmonton [Canada]
Asian Games{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Olympic Games |title = Wrestling at the 1970 Asian Games|url = https://olympic.ind.in/winner-athletes/70}}
1970: Bangkok, Thailand [Bronze Medal]
1974: Theran, Iran
Commonwealth games{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Commonwealth Games |title =Commonwealth participation Of Mukhtiar Singh|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/56275}}
1966: Kingston, Jamaica [Gold Medal]
1970: Edinburgh, Scotland [Gold Medal]
Hind Kesari
1964: Karnal, Haryana
Other international tournaments
1964: Indo-Iran Wrestling Championship, Tehran [Gold Medal]
1964: Indo-Newzealand Wrestling Championship, Newzealand [Gold Medal]
1965: Indo-Iran Wrestling Championship, New Delhi [Gold Medal]
1965: Indo-American Wrestling Championship, Mexico [Gold Medal]
1966: Indo-England Wrestling Championship, England [Gold Medal]
1967: Jasan Meet Wrestling Championship, Kabul Afghanistan [Gold Medal]
1972: Indo-Soviet Wrestling Championship, Moscow Russia [Gold Medal]
1972: Indo-Russian Wrestling Meet, New Delhi [Gold Medal]
1976: Indo-Soviet Wrestling Meet, New Delhi [Gold Medal]
1976: Indo-Pak Wrestling Meet, New Delhi [Gold Medal]

Awards

File:Awards achieved by Mukhtiar Singh.jpg

1967― Arjun Award
1992― Mewar Award
1986― Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM)
2018― Hon. Sportsperson Award (By C.M Yogi Adityanath)
1996― N.I.S (National Inst. Of Sports, Patiala Punjab)

Judge, coach and referee

File:Captain Mukhtiar Singh Gymnasium in Indian Army Jat Regiment Centre, Barielly.jpg

1991: World Wrestling Championship, Varna, Bulgaria
1996: Asian Wrestling Championship, New Delhi
1997: World Cadet Wrestling Championship, New Delhi
1998: Takhati Cup Wrestling Championship, Iran

Death

Mukhtiar Singh was struck with Alzheimer's disease and he passed away on 19 November 2019.

File:Capt. Mukhtiar Singh with his wife Surja Devi.jpg

References

{{cite web|publisher = The Official Website of Olympic Games |title =Welterweight, Freestyle (≤78 kilograms), Men|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/125807}}