Sushil Kumar was born in a Jaat family of Baprola village, near Najafgarh in South West Delhi. Kumar was inspired to take up wrestling by his father, himself a wrestler, and his cousin Sandeep. Sandeep later stopped competing as the family could only support one wrestler. Kumar trained in pehlwani wrestling at the akhada (wrestling school) in the Chhatrasal Stadium from the age of 14. With minimal funds and poor training facilities for wrestling in India, even for 2008 Olympic team, his family made sure he obtained the necessary dietary supplements by sending him toned milk, ghee and fresh vegetables.

WC/Style:      74KG – FS

Medals:

Olympic Games
Bronze Medal – third-place              2008 Beijing         66 kg Freestyle
Silver Medal – second place            2012 London        66 kg Freestyle
World Championships
Gold Medal – first place                   2010 Moscow       66 kg Freestyle
Commonwealth Games
Gold Medal – first place                  2010 Delhi            66 kg Freestyle
Gold Medal – first place                  2014 Glasgow      74 kg Freestyle
Gold Medal – first place                  2018 Gold Coast  74 kg Freestyle
Asian Games
Bronze Medal – third-place            2006 Doha     66 Kg Freestyle
Asian Championships
Bronze Medal – third-place            2003 New Delhi         60 kg Freestyle
Silver Medal – second place          2007 Bishkek             66 kg Freestyle
Bronze Medal – third-place            2008 Jeju Island        66 kg Freestyle
Gold Medal – first place                 2010 New Delhi         66 kg Freestyle
Commonwealth Championship
Gold Medal – first place                 2003 London                 60 kg Freestyle
Gold Medal – first place                 2005 Cape Town           66 kg Freestyle
Bronze Medal – third-place            2005 Cape Town           66 kg GR
Gold Medal – first place                 2007 London                 66 kg Freestyle
Gold Medal – first place                 2009 Jalandhar             66 kg Freestyle
Gold Medal – first place                 2017 Johannesburg      74 kg Freestyle
Awards: Arjuna Award, 2005
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (joint), India’s highest sporting honour.
Padma Shri, 2011