Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was an Indian wrestler and the first Indian to win an individual Olympic medal. He was born on January 15, 1926, in Goleshwar, a small village in Maharashtra, India. Jadhav’s father was a farmer, and the family faced financial difficulties, but he was encouraged to pursue wrestling by his elder brother, who was also a wrestler.
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Table of Contents
Profile Summary
| Real Name | Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav |
| Other Name | Khashaba, K. D. Jadhav |
| Profession Build | Indian wrestler |
| Medal | Wrestling at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men’s Freestyle Bantamweight |
| Date of Birth | 15 January 1926 |
| Birth Place | Satara, Satara district, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Date of Death | 14 August 1984 |
| Death Place | Karad, Maharashtra, India |
| Current Age | 58 years old |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife Name | Not Known |
| Current Net worth | 1 lakh – 5 lakh (approx) |
| Height in Inches | 5โ 6โ |
| Weight in Kg | 54 kg |
| Children | N/A |
| Hair Color | White Color |
| High School | Tilak High School in Karad |
| College | Private College |
| Qualification | Graduate |
| Ethnicity | Unknown |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Nationality | British India |
| Siblingโs | Don’t Know |
| Parents | Dadasaheb Jadhav (Father)Smt. Putli Bai (Mother) |
Who is Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav?
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was a celebrated Indian freestyle wrestler who won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki. He made history as the first individual athlete from independent India to win a medal at the Olympics, after Norman Pritchard who won two silver medals in athletics in 1900 when India was still under colonial rule. Prior to Khashaba’s achievement, India had only won gold medals in field hockey, a team sport.
Despite his incredible feat, Khashaba remains the only Indian Olympic medalist who never received a Padma Award. Known for his exceptional agility and quick movements on his feet, he was trained by English coach Rees Gardner before the 1948 Olympic games. Khashaba hailed from Goleshwar village near Karad and was posthumously honored with the Arjuna Award in 2000 for his remarkable contributions to wrestling.
Early Life & Career
Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav’s father, Dadasaheb, was a wrestling instructor, and he introduced him to the sport when he was just five years old. Jadhav had a strong academic record alongside his wrestling accomplishments and participated in the Quit India campaign. He resolved to raise the tricolor flag at the Olympics on August 15, 1947, Independence Day.
Jadhav started his wrestling career in 1948 and gained recognition at the London Olympics that year, supported by the Maharaja of Kolhapur. He was trained by Rees Gardner, a former US lightweight World champion, and despite his lack of experience on the mat, he finished sixth in the flyweight division.
Jadhav beat Australian wrestler Bert Harris and Billy Jernigan of the United States before being eliminated from the games by Mansour Raeisi of Iran. He was then asked to face Rashid Mammadbeyov of the Soviet Union, but with no Indian official present to pursue his case, he was unable to recover in time and lost the match.
However, Jadhav earned the bronze medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics by defeating wrestlers from Canada, Mexico, and Germany on July 23, 1952, making him the first individual medalist for Independent India.
Awards and honors
- He was honored by being a part of the torch run at the Asian Games in Delhi.
- The Chhatrapati Puraskar was awarded to him posthumously by the Maharashtra Government.
- He was also posthumously honored with the Arjuna Award.
- The wrestling venue built for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games was named after him.
- On his 97th birth anniversary, Jadhav was honored by Google with a Google Doodle.
Cause Of Death
After retiring from wrestling, Jadhav joined the police force as a sub-inspector in 1955. He continued to participate in various competitions held within the Police department and also served as a sports instructor for National duties. However, despite serving the police department for twenty-seven years and retiring as an Asst.
Police Commissioner, Jadhav had to struggle for his pension in his later life. He was neglected by the sports federation for many years and unfortunately had to face financial difficulties towards the end of his life. Tragically, Jadhav passed away in a road accident in 1984. His wife had to face several difficulties to get any assistance from any quarter after his death.
Legacy
Book
Sanjay Dudhane’s book published by the National Book Trust is about K D Jadhav, the Olympic wrestler.
Movie
Sangram Singh, an international wrestler turned producer, has acquired the rights from Khashaba Jadhav’s son, Ranjit Jadhav, to produce a film based on the wrestler’s life. Khashaba Jadhav was the first Indian to win an Olympic medal after India gained independence in 1952.
Sangram Singh has idolized Jadhav since childhood and wishes to pay tribute to him by producing this film. Through an official statement, Sangram confirmed the news and expressed his admiration for Jadhav’s journey and achievements, stating that he deserves to be remembered and honored. The film’s script is currently under development.
