How an Olympic bronze and European gold medallist gained experience in mud pits in Punjab, Himachal, and Maharashtra: From Dangals to international podiums
To the rest of the world, he is a heavyweight superstar from Azerbaijan. Across India’s fabled mud pits, though, he’s simply “Georgi Georgian”. Not that Giorgi Meshvildishvili, who changed his nationality, would mind.
Earlier this month, Giorgi was crowned European champion in the 125-kg freestyle category. The continental gold came months after he won a bronze at the Paris Olympics.
And while he is still basking in the afterglow of the two medals, the 32-year-old can’t stop gushing about the other prizes he’s won in India — a tractor, a bull and a Bullet motorcycle. “Very, very special,” he says.
In Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra, Giorgi gained experience in mud pits before making his way to international podiums. Giorgi tells The Indian Express, “I visited India three times, and each time was really pleasant.” “The Dangals were remarkable.” Jassa Patti, Sikandar (Sheikh), and Pritpal (Phagwara) were all really formidable opponents of mine.
Over the years, Jaskanwar Singh Gill, sometimes referred to as Jassa Patti in the wrestling community, has gained nicknames such as “Virat Kohli of mud wrestling” and “modern-day Dara Singh.” Two of the best grapplers on the mud are Sikandar Sheikh and Pritpal.
Less than a fortnight ago, the wrestling fraternity watched in awe as Giorgi lifted Georgia’s Solomon Manashvili — weighing 125 kg — from the waist, lifted him over his head, and slammed him on the mat. The move, executed in desperation with just seven seconds left in the final, helped Giorgi win the European Championship gold medal in the most dramatic manner.
The world may only have been acquainted with Giorgi’s brute power in the last few months. But around the rustic world of dangals across India, ‘Giorgi Georgian’s’ strength is the stuff of legends and has been celebrated for years.
His first visit to India was in 2016 when he competed in Dilawarpur, a village in Punjab. Since then, he’s competed at various dangals across Punjab, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.
Golu Pehelwan, who runs an academy in Mullanpur, brokered Giorgi’s first appearance in India. “Wrestling is a close community. One of my coaches had taken some of our junior wrestlers to Georgia for an exposure camp. There, he met Giorgi and told him about the dangal culture back home. He got interested and we extended an invitation to him,” Golu recalls.
Back then, Giorgi was an upcoming wrestler, having won a silver medal for Georgia in the U23 European Championship. As he waited for his big international break in the senior category, he came to India where he faced off against some of the biggest dangal stars, including Jassa Patti.
Jassa remembers his bouts with Giorgi fondly. Not just because they were always of high quality, but it was after beating Giorgi that Jassa won his first big prize — a tractor.
