Dara Singh

(present-day Punjab, India) 1950–2012 (actor) 2003–2009 (politician) Vindu Dara Singh

• Professional wrestler
• actor
• politician}} Dara Singh (born Deedar Singh Randhawa; 19 November 1928 – 12 July 2012) was an Indian professional wrestler, actor, and politician. Widely regarded as one of India’s greatest wrestlers, Singh earned international recognition during the 1950s and 1960s for his victories in both Indian and world wrestling circuits. In 1968, Singh became world champion by defeating Lou Thesz.

Transitioning to cinema, Singh appeared in over 100 Hindi and Punjabi films, often portraying strong, heroic and religious characters, and is best remembered for his iconic role as Hanuman in the film Bajrangbali (1976) and in the television series Ramayan (1987–1988). He was the first sportsperson to be nominated as Member of the Rajya Sabha from 2003 to 2009, he was also awarded the Padma Shri in 1996. Singh was inducted into the Legacy wing of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

Early life

Singh was born in a Punjabi Jat Sikh family as Deedar Singh Randhawa to Surat Singh Randhawa and Balwant Kaur on 19 November 1928 in the village of Dharmuchak in the Majha area of the Punjab region of India. At the time, it was still under British Raj colonial rule.

Career

Professional wrestling

He came to Singapore in 1947, where he worked in a drum-manufacturing mill and began his wrestling training under Harnam Singh in the Great World Stadium. As an adult he was 6 ft tall, He is credited to have remained undefeated in a professional wrestling bout.

In 1951, Dara Singh lost a traditional city-duel match in Greco-Roman style against Brahmdev Mishra of Gorakhpur in a stadium located at Dharmatala Maidan Calcutta.

In 1954, Dara competed in the Rustam-e-Hind (Champion of India) tournament where he won the final by defeating Tiger Joginder Singh and received a silver cup from Maharaja Hari Singh. In 1959, he won the Commonwealth Championship by defeating George Gordienko at Calcutta. On 29 May 1968 in Bombay, his victory over Lou Thesz earned him the World championship. According to Thesz, Singh was "an authentic wrestler, was superbly conditioned" and had no problem losing to the latter. His last tournament, where he announced his retirement, was held in Delhi in June 1983.

Films and television

Singh left his village for Singapore in 1948. He started his career as an actor in 1952 with Sangdil.

He then went on to do television in the late 1980s, where he played the role of Hanuman in the television adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayan. He also had roles in numerous films, such as Veer Bheem Sen and Ramayan, and in other television serials. He starred as Bhima in various Mahabharata movies, besides also playing Balram, he also starred as Shiva in various theological movies.

His last Hindi movie was Jab We Met and the last Punjabi movie released before his illness was Dil Apna Punjabi. He acted in National Award-winning film Main Maa Punjab Dee directed by Balwant Singh Dullat. He directed seven Punjabi films including Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun, Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar, Dhyanu Bhagat and Rab Dian Rakhan. He also directed two films in Hindi; Bhakti Mein Shakti and Rustom (1982), which were produced and directed under the banner "Dara Film" which he set up in 1970. Singh acted as himself in the 1985 Malayalam film Mutharamkunnu P.O..

Dara Studio

Singh was the owner of Dara Studio at Phase 6, Mohali City, District SAS Nagar, Punjab. Dara Film Studio was founded in 1978. The studio was operational from 1980 as a film studio.

Politics

Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 1998. He became the first sportsperson to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha – the upper house of the Parliament of India. He served in that role between 2003 and 2009. He was also president of the Jat Mahasabha.

Comics

Singh's son Vindu Dara Singh, launched his first comic book The Epic Journey of the Great Dara Singh at Oxford Bookstore in New Delhi in February 2019.

Personal life

Singh married twice. He had three sons and three daughters, including Vindu Dara Singh. His brother Randhawa was also a wrestler and actor.

Death

Singh was admitted into Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on 7 July 2012 following a massive heart attack. Two days later, it was confirmed that he had brain damage due to the lack of blood flow. He was discharged from hospital on 11 July 2012, citing that nothing can be done to prolong life, and died the next day at his home in Mumbai. He was cremated at Juhu crematorium.

Awards and recognition

In 1996, Singh was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. He was ranked 94 out of 100 wrestlers for Dave Meltzer's Top 100 Wrestlers of all time in 2002. In 2016, Dara was included in the list India's top wrestlers of all time. On 7 April 2018, WWE inducted him in WWE Hall of Fame Legacy class of 2018.

Filmography

Championships and accomplishments

• World Wide Wrestling Association
  • WWWA World Heavyweight Championship
• Maple Leaf Wrestling
  • NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Yukon Eric
• Indian promotions
  • Commonwealth Championship (1959)
  • World Championship (1968)
  • Champion of Malaysia (1951)
  • Rustam-e-Hind (1954)
  • Rustam-e-Punjab (1966)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
• WWE
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2018)

References

Autobiography

• Dara Singh Meri Atmkatha (en. My Autobiography by Dara Singh) 1993 Praveen Prakashan

References

1. (12 July 2012). "Dara Singh Passes Away". The Times of India.
2. (9 May 1966). "Wrestler Finds Acting Easy, Is Idol Of India's Morie Fans, p.2". [[The Milwaukee Journal]].
3. (19 November 2016). "Remembering Dara Singh: 13 facts about India's most-loved wrestler".
4. Sanghvi. (20 January 2017). "Story of Dara Singh, the original king of the dangal". Hindustan Times.
5. (13 July 2012). "Dara Singh: The original muscle man of Bollywood". The Economic Times.
6. Vinod, Niband. (12 July 2023). "Dara Singh Death Anniversary: 10 Facts About the Legendary Actor and Wrestler". News18.
7. (12 July 2012). "Obituary: Dara Singh - the champion loses his final fight". Hindustan Times.
8. (13 July 2012). "People at ancestral village remember legendary wrestler and film actor Dara Singh". India Today.
9. Rana, Yudhvir. (13 July 2012). "Little Dara holds ray of hope in wrestler's village". [[The Times of India]].
10. (1989). ""Meri Atmakatha" (Autobiography)". Dara Singh.
11. (13 July 2012). "When Rustam-e-Hind lifted King Kong off his feet and flung him". [[Times of India]].
12. "The Wrestler's Body".
13. (15 August 2012). "City duel that 'broke' Dara - Fans recall champ's stint in akhara on the bank of the Hooghly". The Telegraph.
14. Gupta, Nitish. (11 December 2019). "गोरखपुर के इस लाल ने चंद मिनटों में पहलवान दारा सिंह को दी थी पटखनी..".
15. (2017). "Śaharanāmā Gorakhapura". Vāṇī Prakāśana.
16. (13 June 1954). "Free-Style Wrestling: Dara Singh Crowned Champion of Bharat". [[The New Indian Express]].
17. (14 July 2012). "Dara Singh, Wrestler and Bollywood Action Hero, Dies at 83". [[The New York Times]].
18. (12 July 2012). "Dara Singh: India's 'first all-action hero'". [[BBC News]].
19. (13 July 2012). "Dara Singh was an Indian icon in wrestling, Bollywood".
20. Molinaro, John F.. (2002). "The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time". Winding Stair Press.
21. (13 July 2012). "Mumtaz: Dara Singh's kindness got me my first role". [[The Times of India]].
22. (12 July 2012). "Dara Singh: Bollywood's first macho man". [[India Today]].
23. "Dara Studio".
24. (31 January 1998). "Dara Singh joins BJP".
25. (12 July 2012). "Dara Singh taken home". [[The Times of India]].
26. (18 June 2009). "Hema garam, won't canvass for Dharam". [[The Times of India]].
27. "Vindu Dara Singh launches comic book - Times of India".
28. (11 July 2012). "Wrestler-actor Dara Singh dies". The Indian Express.
29. (10 July 2012). "Dara Singh taken home, doctors say less chance of recovery".
30. (12 July 2012). "Hundreds attend Dara Singh's funeral in Mumbai". [[Yahoo]] India news.
31. (12 July 2012). "Legendary Indian Wrestler Dara Singh Passes Away, WWE Stars Comment".
32. (26 August 2016). "India's top wrestlers of all time". India Today.
33. (8 April 2018). "WWE inducts Dara Singh in WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018". India Today.
34. (December 1977). "Bhakti Mein Shakti Cast & Crew- Bollywood Hungama".
35. (2003). "Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema". Popular Prakashan.
36. MANMADHAN, PREMA. "The time when KING KONG almost hit him". The Hindu.
37. "Tarzan Comes to Delhi (1965) - IMDb".
38. "Daku Mangal Singh (1966)".
39. (13 July 2012). "How Dara Singh floored Mukesh ...". The Hindu.
40. (12 July 2012). "Bollywood's first He-man". The Hindu Businessline.
41. "Auto Driver (1998)".
42. (12 July 2012). "Dara Singh dies at 83". [[Mumbai Mirror]].
43. (13 July 2012). "Eijaz Khan talks about Dara Singh". [[Mid-Day]].
44. Jaspreet Pandohar. (20 August 2006). "Dil Apna Punjabi (My Heart Is Punjabi) Review". [[BBC]].
45. "Stan Neilson - OWW". Online World of Wrestling.
46. (12 July 2012). "Obituary: Dara Singh — Bollywood's original muscle man". [[The Hindu]].
47. (24 January 2010). "MLG, Varsity, & The Singh's". [[Maple Leaf Wrestling]].
48. (12 July 2012). "Ten things you didn't know about Dara Singh". [[NDTV]].
49. (7 April 2018). "Congratulations to the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Legacy inductees". [[WWE]].