‘People have started respecting us’

For Yogeshwar Dutt, his Olympic bronze medal is not just an addition to his list of achievements. It is seen as positive change in his hometown and also in the country.

“After the Games, people have started respecting the wrestlers,” Dutt said on Saturday. “Many parents are coming forward to admit their kids in wrestling academies. However, earlier it was not the case. Wrestlers were considered as vagabonds. The success in London Olympics has not just benefitted us, but it has also given a boost to the wrestling fraternity in India.”

The wrestler was in Pune to inaugurate a national-level inter-engineering sports meet at MIT ground.

Dutt has been showered with several prizes and awards for his medal-winning feat. Apart from the Rs1 crore cash prize, the Haryana Government has also allotted a piece of land in Bahadurgarh town of Jhajjar district to set up a wrestling academy. Dutt said, “It (academy) is a huge project. We are setting up an international-level academy there and it might take three-four years to get fully operational. Right now, I am concentrating more on my competitions. I have Asian Championship and World Championship ahead.”

The wrestler also advised youngsters in Maharashtra to begin their training on mat. “Normally, the wrestlers start on mud pit. However, it becomes difficult to shift to mat later on. So it’s better they start on mat only,” he said. Also present on the occasion were Dutt’s coach Ishwar Singh and Maharashtra State Wrestling Association secretary Balasaheb Landge.