Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav aka KD Jadhav was an Indian boxer and wrestler. He was popular by his nickname “Pocket Dynamo”. He won a bronze medal in the Summer Olympics of 1952. With this, he made himself the first Indian to win an Olympic medal for independent India. Google honored him with a special doodle which was customized by his picture. Jadhav’s success inspired many people in India.
In this article, we are going to discuss the achievements and life of Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav in detail.
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav
Table of Content
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav: The Pocket Dynamo
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav or “pocket dynamo” was an Indian athlete boxer. He achieved fame by winning a bronze medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics. Before Jadhav, India had only won gold in field hockey, a team sport. Despite his achievements, Jadhav never received a Padma Award. He stood out among his peers for his exceptional speed and agility, which caught the attention of English coach Rees Gardner before the 1948 Olympics. Jadhav hailed from the village of Goleshwar near Karad. In 2000, he was posthumously awarded the Arjuna Award for his significant contributions to wrestling.
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Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav – Overview |
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Full name |
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav |
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Nickname |
Pocket Dynamo, KD |
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Citizenship |
British India (1926–1947), India (1947–1984) |
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Born |
15th January, 1926 |
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Birth Place |
Satara, Satara district, Bombay Presidency, British India |
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Parents |
Dadasaheb Jadhav and Smt. Putli Bai |
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Died |
14th August, 1984 (Aged 58) |
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Death Place |
Karad, Maharashtra, India |
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Height |
1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) |
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Weight |
54 kg (119 lb) |
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Sport |
Freestyle Wrestling |
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Coached by |
Rees Gardner |
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Medal record |
Men’s Freestyle wrestling, Represented India |
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav – Early Life and Death
Khashaba D Jadhav was born as the youngest son of wrestler Dadasaheb Jadhav. He was born in Goleshwar in Maharashtra. He attended Tilak High School in Karad, Satara District from 1940 to 1947. Wrestling was a big part of his family life. During the Quit India Movement, he supported the rebels by providing shelters and distributing secret letters against the British. At the time of Independance, he decided to contest Olympics as a symbol of his patriotic spirit. After becoming a sub-inspector in 1955, Jadhav won so many wrestling matches organized by the police department. Later he retired as an Assistant Police Commissioner and coached national athletes in sports. He died in a car accident on August 14, 1984. He behind his legacy of triumph and hard work that will never be forgotten.
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav – Wrestling Journey
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav started wrestling in 1948 by participating London Olympics. He finished sixth in the flyweight division. It was a significant achievement because he was the first Indian to do so well in an individual category in the Olympics. Even though he was new to professional wrestling and international wrestling rules his sixth-place finish was impressive and significant.
He worked even harder over the next four years to get ready for the Helsinki Olympics. There, he competed in the bantamweight category (57 kg). He faced so many wrestlers from 24 different countries. Despite losing in the semi-finals, he defeated wrestlers from Mexico, Germany, and Canada. Then, he made a comeback and won the bronze medal. This made him the first wrestler from independent India to win an individual Olympic medal.
London Olympics 1948
- Jadhav’s first big event was the 1948 London Olympics, where the Maharaja of Kolhapur sponsored his trip.
- Rees Gardner, a former World champion from the US, coached Jadhav during his time in London.
- Despite being new to mat wrestling, Jadhav finished sixth in the flyweight division, shocking everyone by defeating Australian wrestler Bert Harris in the opening minutes of his match.
- He also beat Billy Jernigan of the US but lost to Mansour Raeisi of Iran and got disqualified.
- In preparation for the Helsinki Olympics over the next four years, Jadhav intensified his training.
- He moved up in weight to compete in the 125 lb bantamweight category, facing wrestlers from 24 different countries.
Summer Olympics 1952
- He fought Rashid Mammadbeyov of the Soviet Union in an exhausting match at the Helsinki Olympics.
- According to the rules, there should have been a minimum 30-minute break between bouts, but no Indian official was present to argue for it.
- Due to this, Jadhav, feeling worn out, couldn’t motivate himself, and Mammadbeyov took advantage, advancing to the final.
- However, Jadhav won the bronze medal on July 23, 1952, by defeating wrestlers from Canada, Mexico, and Germany.
- He became Independent India’s first and individual medal winner.
- Krishnarao Mangave, another wrestler and teammate, also competed in the same Olympics but narrowly missed winning the bronze medal by one point.
- Despite India’s hockey team winning a gold medal at the Helsinki games, Jadhav was the star of the Indian delegation.
- A celebration greeted him upon his return home, with a cavalcade of 151 bullock carts and dhols carrying him through the village of Goleshwar after a gathering at the Karad Railway Station to welcome him.
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav – Olympic Medal
After a tough match, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was supposed to fight Rashid Mammadbeyov of the Soviet Union with a 30-minute break in between, as per the rules. However, no Indian official was present to argue, so Jadhav had to fight without enough rest. Unfortunately, he lost, and Mammadbeyov advanced to the final. Despite this setback, on July 23, 1952, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won the bronze medal by defeating wrestlers from Canada, Mexico, and Germany. He became the first individual medal winner for Independent India.
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav – Awards & Honours
Here are the major awards and honours own by him as mentioned below.
- He was honoured by being included in the torch relay at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.
- The Maharashtra government gave him a Chhatrapati Puraskar.
- He got the Arjuna Award after his death.
- The wrestling venue for the Commonwealth Game was named after him in Delhi.
- Google also celebrated his 97 th birthday, with a Google Doodle.
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav Honoured by Google Doodle
Google on 15th January, 2024 paid a tribute to Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav by a Google Doodle. He was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Mr Jadhav is remembered for being independent India’s first individual athlete to win an Olympic medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Paying homage to the celebrated wrestler, the doodle features his sketch showing him getting ready to attack his opponent.
Conclusion – Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was born in Brithish India. He learned wrestling from his father and get more involved and passionate about it. Despite facing so many challenges like lack of proper facilities and training, he participated the Helsinki Olympics. He won the bronze medal in freestyle wrestling after defeating strong opponents from different countries like Canada, Mexico, and Germany. His journey to success was not easy. Once, he had to fight a crucial match without enough rest time because there were no Indian officials present. Jadhav showed incredible determination and skill, becoming India’s first individual Olympic medalist after independence. His achievement inspired many Indian wrestlers and paved the way for future generations.
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FAQs – Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav
Who is kasaba dadu saheb jadhav?
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, who is often recognized as one of India’s pioneering Olympic athletes. Born on January 15, 1926, in Goleshwar, Maharashtra, India, Jadhav made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win an individual Olympic medal after India’s independence.
What sports did Khashaba Jadhav like?
Khashaba Jadhav liked wrestling, kabaddi, mullkhamb, running, swimming and gymnastics.
How many bouts did Khashaba Jadhav win at Helsinki?
At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a total of five bouts in the freestyle wrestling bantamweight (57 kg) category.
Which game was Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav associated with?
The First Indian to Win an Olympic Bronze is Khashaba Jadhav. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav is associated with wrestling.
In which individual game India won the first bronze medal?
K D Jadhav was India’s first athlete from independent India to win an individual medal in the Olympics. Jadhav won a bronze medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
What is the nickname of Khashaba Jadhav?
Jadhav, popularly known as “pocket dynamo”, is remembered as the first athlete of independent India to win an individual Olympic medal.
How did Khashaba win Honour for the country?
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav is an Indian athlete by the name of Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav. His most notable accomplishment was winning a bronze medal in wrestling at the Helsinki Summer Olympics in 1952.
Who is the first Indian to win an individual gold medal in Olympics?
The first Indian to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics is Abhinav Bindra. He achieved this historic feat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 10m Air Rifle shooting event.