Quick answer: Sushil Kumar is an Indian freestyle wrestler from Baprola in Delhi, born in 1983. He won Olympic bronze at Beijing 2008 and silver at London 2012, both at 66 kg, making him the first athlete from independent India to win two individual Olympic medals, and he was world champion in 2010. Since May 2021 he has been an accused in the murder case of junior wrestler Sagar Dhankhar; as of October 2026 the trial is continuing and he has not been convicted.
Who is Sushil Kumar?
Sushil Kumar is one of the most decorated wrestlers in Indian history. Competing mainly in the 66 kg and later 74 kg freestyle categories, he won two Olympic medals, a world title and three Commonwealth Games gold medals. He has received the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (India’s highest sporting honour) and the Padma Shri. He also had a brief stint on television as a gang leader on MTV Roadies X4 in 2016.
Sushil Kumar: profile at a glance
- Name: Sushil Kumar (sometimes given as Sushil Kumar Solanki)
- Born: 1983, in Baprola village near Najafgarh, south-west Delhi. Sources give two different dates, 26 May and 20 April 1983. Either way, he is 43 as of October 2026.
- Sport: freestyle wrestling (66 kg; later 74 kg)
- Trained at: the akhada at Chhatrasal Stadium, Delhi
- Major medals: Olympic bronze (2008) and silver (2012); world champion (2010); Commonwealth Games gold (2010, 2014, 2018)
- Honours: Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009), Padma Shri (2011)
An earlier version of this article gave his age as 32 and listed his height, weight and religion. The age was out of date and the other details are not needed for a sports profile, so they have been removed.
Early life and training
Sushil Kumar grew up in Baprola, a village on the edge of Delhi. His father, Diwan Singh, worked as a driver (an earlier version of this article said for the Delhi Transport Corporation; his Wikipedia entry says MTNL Delhi), and his mother, Kamla Devi, is a homemaker. He was drawn to wrestling by his father and a cousin, Sandeep, who both wrestled.
At 14 he began training at the akhada (traditional wrestling school) at Chhatrasal Stadium under Yashvir and Ramphal. He later trained under the former wrestler Satpal Singh, and with Gyan Singh and Rajkumar Baisla at the Indian Railways camp.
Wrestling career
Early success
His first major international success was a gold medal at the World Cadet Games in 1998, followed by gold at the Asian Junior Championships in 2000. In 2003 he won bronze at the Asian Championships in New Delhi and gold at the Commonwealth Championships in London, both at 60 kg.
Beijing 2008: Olympic bronze
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics he won bronze in the 66 kg freestyle event. It was India’s first Olympic wrestling medal since Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav’s bronze at Helsinki in 1952. In 2009 he received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, now called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour.
World champion and Commonwealth gold
In 2010 he became world champion at the World Wrestling Championships in Moscow (66 kg), and won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. At the opening ceremony of those Games, on 3 October 2010, he was part of the Queen’s Baton Relay, handing the baton to Prince Charles.
London 2012: Olympic silver
At the 2012 London Olympics he won silver in the 66 kg freestyle event. With that medal he became the first athlete from independent India to win two individual Olympic medals. He received the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in 2011.
Later career
Moving up to 74 kg, he won Commonwealth Games gold again in Glasgow in 2014 and on the Gold Coast in 2018, and the Commonwealth Championships in Johannesburg in 2017. He did not compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Sushil Kumar medals
| Event | Year and venue | Medal (weight) |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 2008 Beijing | Bronze (66 kg) |
| Olympic Games | 2012 London | Silver (66 kg) |
| World Championships | 2010 Moscow | Gold (66 kg) |
| Commonwealth Games | 2010 Delhi | Gold (66 kg) |
| Commonwealth Games | 2014 Glasgow | Gold (74 kg) |
| Commonwealth Games | 2018 Gold Coast | Gold (74 kg) |
| Asian Games | 2006 Doha | Bronze (66 kg) |
| Asian Championships | 2003 New Delhi | Bronze (60 kg) |
| Asian Championships | 2007 Bishkek | Silver (66 kg) |
| Asian Championships | 2008 Jeju | Bronze (66 kg) |
| Asian Championships | 2010 New Delhi | Gold (66 kg) |
| Commonwealth Championships | 2003 London | Gold (60 kg) |
| Commonwealth Championships | 2005 Stellenbosch | Gold (66 kg) |
| Commonwealth Championships | 2007 London | Gold (66 kg) |
| Commonwealth Championships | 2009 Jalandhar | Gold (66 kg) |
| Commonwealth Championships | 2017 Johannesburg | Gold (74 kg) |
An earlier version of this article placed the 2005 Commonwealth Championships in Cape Town and listed an additional Greco-Roman bronze there. Records place that championship in Stellenbosch, and we could not confirm the Greco-Roman medal, so it is not repeated. The earlier version also gave the Arjuna Award as 2006; his records list it as 2005 or 2006.
Sushil Kumar in MTV Roadies X4
In early 2016 MTV announced Sushil Kumar as the fourth gang leader on Roadies X4 (season 13), alongside Rannvijay Singha, Karan Kundrra and Neha Dhupia. He later left the show to focus on preparing for the 2016 Olympics, and Prince Narula took his place for the journey.
An earlier version of this article said he “will soon be seen” on Roadies X4. That was written in 2016.
Personal life
Sushil Kumar married Savi, the daughter of his coach Satpal Singh, in 2011, according to sports coverage of his career.
The Sagar Dhankhar murder case
This section sets out the court record as reported, without comment.
- 4 May 2021: a brawl at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi left junior wrestler Sagar Dhankhar (also spelt Dhankar) fatally injured.
- 23 May 2021: Delhi Police arrested Sushil Kumar.
- October 2022: a Delhi court framed charges, including murder, against Sushil Kumar and 17 other accused. They denied the charges, and the trial began.
- March 2025: the Delhi High Court granted him regular bail.
- 13 August 2025: the Supreme Court of India cancelled that bail, citing concerns about witness intimidation and interference with the trial, and directed him to surrender within a week.
- August 2026: the Delhi High Court refused a fresh bail plea, noting the gravity of the charges and the risk of influencing witnesses, according to reports published on 11 August 2026.
As of October 2026 the trial is continuing in a Delhi court. Sushil Kumar has not been convicted, and he is presumed innocent until the court gives its verdict. We will update this section when the trial concludes.
Sushil Kumar on social media
These are his profiles as linked in the original article:
More Roadies profiles: Prince Narula, Raghu Ram and Bani J (VJ Bani).
Frequently asked questions
How many Olympic medals has Sushil Kumar won?
Two: bronze at Beijing 2008 and silver at London 2012, both in the 66 kg freestyle event.
Was Sushil Kumar a world champion?
Yes. He won the 66 kg freestyle title at the 2010 World Wrestling Championships in Moscow.
Has Sushil Kumar been convicted in the Sagar Dhankhar case?
No. As of October 2026 the trial is still under way and there has been no verdict. Courts have refused him bail, which is a separate question from guilt.
Why did Sushil Kumar leave Roadies X4?
He left the show in 2016 to concentrate on preparing for that year’s Olympic Games. He did not ultimately compete in Rio.
What awards has Sushil Kumar received?
The Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009) and the Padma Shri (2011).
Details checked in October 2026 against his Wikipedia entry and its cited sports records, the MTV Roadies season records, and court reporting by Free Press Journal, Bar and Bench, UNI and Business Standard (2025 to August 2026). Personal details not needed for a sports profile have been removed.
2 comments
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Plz sir hamay ek moka do may barat kileye kos karna chahata ho .may gorib ho mera pas etna pesa nehi he.par may wrestler bonna chahata ho plz help me sir.or sir 10 bar state mit korchoka ho…kripiya moje ek moka do sir..
ek baar moka dege