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Deepak Punia Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth19 May 1999

Age23 Years

BirthplaceChhara, Jhajjar, Haryana

ProfessionFreestyle Wrestler

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Subhash Punia; Mother - Krishna Punia; Sister - Neeru Dhanda

Deepak Punia Biography

Deepak Punia is an Indian freestyle wrestler from Chhara, Jhajjar, Haryana. A junior world champion who transitioned quickly to senior success, he won a 86

Early life and background

Deepak Punia was born on 19 May 1999 in Chhara, Jhajjar, Haryana. Raised in a family with a wrestling background, he was introduced to the sport at a very young age and began training in local akharas. His father, Subhash Punia, worked as a milkman while his mother, Krishna Punia, was a homemaker. Deepak has a sister, Neeru Dhanda, who is associated with the India Shooting Team.

He moved to Chhatrasal Stadium in 2015 to pursue serious training under coaches Virender Kumar and Satpal Singh, and spent time practicing with two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar. His upbringing in a wrestling household and early training at akharas set the foundation for rapid progress through age-group levels.

Career

Punia made his international debut at the 2016 Cadet World Championships in Tbilisi, where he won gold in the 85 kg category. Over the next several years he established himself in the 86 kg weight class at junior and senior levels alike.

At junior level, he earned a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Junior Athletics Championship in New Delhi and a silver at the 2018 Junior World Wrestling Championships in Trnava. He returned to the Junior World Championships in 2019 to claim gold in the 86 kg division, becoming the first Indian in eighteen years to win that title.

Transitioning to senior competition, Punia won a silver medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships in Nur-Sultan in the 86 kg class. That silver placed him among India's leading wrestlers and helped secure his spot for the 2020 Summer Olympics. He reached that World Championship final while carrying shoulder and ankle injuries.

On the continental stage, Punia collected a bronze at the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships in Xi'an, another bronze at the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi, and a silver at the 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty. He withdrew from the Poland Open in 2021 after suffering a hand injury, a decision taken with the Tokyo Olympic campaign in mind.

In 2022 he won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 86 kg category at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, adding a major multi-sport title to his record.

Punia has been recognized by the sport’s governing bodies and the wider sporting community. In 2019 he was named Junior Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by United World Wrestling. He was also listed in Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 for his achievements at a young age.

Public profile

Punia is known for a disciplined approach to training and for a willingness to keep learning, qualities highlighted by his coaches. He admires wrestlers such as Sushil Kumar and Bajrang Punia, and faced Iran’s Hassan Yazdani in major tournament bouts; Yazdani has been both an inspiration and a top opponent.

Outside competition he has shared aspects of his personal life publicly: he enjoys shopping and spending time with friends, and has said he indulges in junk food during breaks from training. In 2018 he joined the Indian Army with the rank of Naik Subedar and began earning a steady income from both his service and wrestling. That year he also purchased an SUV and encouraged his father to stop working as a milkman.

Punia’s career has included setbacks as well as triumphs. He has trained abroad in preparation for major events and at times managed injuries strategically to protect Olympic prospects. Support from colleagues and public attention to junior-level funding issues have been part of his public story.

Latest updates

As of 2022, Deepak Punia remains an active competitor in the 86 kg freestyle division, with a Commonwealth Games gold from Birmingham added to a résumé that already includes World and Junior World medals. He continues to train under the guidance of Virender Kumar and Satpal Singh and represents India on the international wrestling circuit.
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Recent Work

Men's freestyle 86 kg, Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Gold medal in the men's freestyle 86 kg category

2022
World Wrestling Championships

Silver medal in the 86 kg category (Nur-Sultan)

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Gold medal at the 2016 Cadet World Championship (Tbilisi) – 85 kg
  2. Gold medal at the 2018 Asian Junior Athletics Championship (New Delhi) – 86 kg
  3. Silver medal at the 2018 Junior World Wrestling Championships (Trnava) – 86 kg
  4. Gold medal at the 2019 Junior World Wrestling Championships (Tallinn) – 86 kg
  5. Silver medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships (Nur-Sultan) – 86 kg
  6. Bronze medal at the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships (Xi'an) – 86 kg
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Deepak Punia born?

19 May 1999

What is Deepak Punia known for?

Freestyle Wrestler

What is Deepak Punia’s marital status?

Unmarried