Satpal Singh

Satpal Singh (born 1 February 1955), also known as Guru Satpal, is a wrestling coach and former wrestler of India. He was a gold medalist in 1982 Asian Games and a bronze medalist in 1974 Asian Games. Today he is better known as the coach of Olympic medal winners Sushil Kumar and Ravi Kumar Dahiya.[1][2]

Satpal Singh
Singh receives Dronacharya Award, 2009
Personal information
NationalityIndian
Born (1955-02-01) 1 February 1955
Delhi, India
Height182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Sport
CountryIndia
SportWrestling
Event(s)82 & 100 kg freestyle
ClubGuru Hanuman Akhara
Coached byGuru Hanuman (Daronacharya awardee)
Medal record
Representing  India
Men's Freestyle Wrestling
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place1974 ChristchurchMiddleweight
Silver medal – second place1978 Edmonton, AlbertaHeavyweight
Silver medal – second place1982 BrisbaneHeavyweight
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place1974 Tehran82 kg
Silver medal – second place 1978 BangkokHeavyweight
Gold medal – first place 1982 New DelhiHeavyweight
Updated on 5 December 2014.

He was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award of India, in 2015.

Biography

Satpal was born on 1 February 1955 in Bawana village in Delhi. He was coached by the famous wrestling coach Guru Hanuman at Hanuman Akhara, Delhi.[3] He was Indian national champion for 16 years. He achieved international success at commonwealth games winning 3 silver medals in 1974, 1978 and 1982 commonwealth games. In Asian Games too, he improved his performance at successive games, winning a bronze in 1974, a silver in 1978 and peaked with a gold in 1982.[4] Satpal was also good in traditional kushti. He won several titles like Bharat Kumar (1973), Rustom-e-Hind (1974 and 1975), Bharat Kesari (1975), Rustom-e-Bharat (1975), Maha Bharat Kesari (1976), Mahan Bharat Kesari (1976), Rustom-e-Zaman (1976), Hind Kesari (1977), Bharat Shri (1978) and Bharat Balram (1979).

Satpal now works as assistant director of Education, Delhi. He is also the Chief Patron of School Games Federation of India. He runs an Akhada for coaching of wrestling with fellow coach Virender Singh from 1988 in Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi. He trained two time Olympic medal winner, Sushil Kumar for the Beijing Olympics 2008 and London Olympics 2012.

He was awarded Dronacharya Award in 2009 by the Indian Government. He was earlier conferred the Arjuna Award in 1974 and the Padma Shri in 1983.[5]

Awards and achievements

Participation

Notes
  1. Chakravertty, Shreya (26 August 2008). "Life in Satpal's akhada: Early mornings and lots of ghee". Indian Express. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  2. Amsan, Andrew (5 August 2021). "How Chhatrasal stadium and coach Satpal shaped Ravi Dahiya". The Indian Express. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  3. "Guru Hanuman Akhara chosen for the 2014 Rashtritya Khel Protsahan Puraskar". Jargran Josh. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  4. Nag, Utathya (27 May 2022). "Satpal Singh – the legendary wrestling coach who mentored Olympic champions". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022.
  5. "Padma Shri Awardees". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  6. "Padma Awards 2015". Press Information Bureau. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.

References
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