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Gama Pehalwan Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

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

Quick Info

Date of birth22 May 1878

Age82 (at death)

BirthplaceJabbowal, Amritsar, Punjab, British India

ProfessionWrestler

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseWazeer Begum

FamilyFather - Muhammad Aziz Baksh; Brother - Imam Baksh Pahalwan; Children - 5 sons and 4 daughters; Granddaughter - Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif (as reported)

Gama Pehalwan Biography

Gama Pehalwan, born Ghulam Mohammad Baksh in 1878, rose from a family of Kashmiri wrestlers in Amritsar to become one of the most celebrated grapplers of

Early life and background

Ghulam Mohammad Baksh, better known by his ring name Gama Pehalwan or The Great Gama, was born on 22 May 1878 in Jabbowal village near Amritsar in Punjab, then part of British India. He came from an ethnic Kashmiri family long associated with wrestling. His father, Muhammad Aziz Baksh, was a prominent wrestler who died when Gama was a child. After his father’s death Gama was brought up and trained within his extended wrestling family — first by his maternal grandfather Nun Pahalwan and later by his uncle Ida — who introduced him to the rigors of the sport.

Gama displayed exceptional strength and resilience from a young age. At ten he was noticed in a strongman competition in Jodhpur where the local maharaja acknowledged his talent. That early recognition led to further training opportunities and the support of other princely patrons during his formative years.

Career

Gama’s training regimen and physical standards became as famous as his match record. He was known to practice with dozens of training partners in the court, and sources report prodigious daily exercise — thousands of squats and pushups — and a diet built around milk, chicken and fortified almond paste. A heavy, doughnut-shaped exercise disc he used for squats is preserved at the National Institute of Sports Museum in Patiala.

He first captured wider attention as a teenager. In 1895, at 17, he fought Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala, a leading Indian wrestler from Gujranwala; their encounter went on for hours and ended in a draw, a contest that marked a turning point in Gama’s career. Over the next decade he defeated most prominent Indian opponents and by 1910 set his sights on international competition.

Gama toured England and other Western countries accompanied by his younger brother Imam Bakhsh. In England he issued bold open challenges to established wrestlers and quickly demonstrated his power and technique. He defeated Benjamin Roller decisively on multiple occasions and won entry to official tournaments after impressive preliminary performances. In the 1910 John Bull World Championships final in London he wrestled world champion Stanislaus Zbyszko to a prolonged draw. On a later occasion when Zbyszko failed to appear, Gama was declared the winner.

During his international career Gama defeated notable European and American grapplers including Maurice Deriaz, Jesse Peterson and Johann Lemm. He issued challenges to other top names of the era, such as George Hackenschmidt and Frank Gotch, though those matches did not take place. After returning to India he again faced Raheem Bakhsh and emerged victorious, earning the national title Rustam-e-Hind.

Gama continued to dominate Indian wrestling for years. He beat Pandit Biddu in 1916 and received a silver mace from the visiting Prince of Wales in 1922. In January 1928, in Patiala, Gama defeated Stanislaus Zbyszko in under a minute to claim an Indian version of the world wrestling championship. His final recorded competitive victory came in February 1929 against Jesse Petersen in a brief bout.

Later life and legacy

Gama remained active in the wrestling world after his peak competitive years. In the 1940s he answered an invitation from the Nizam of Hyderabad and fought there; he engaged in a notable match with Balram Heeraman Singh Yadav that ended without a decisive victor. Following the partition of India in 1947, Gama relocated to Pakistan. He retired from active competition in 1952 and trained the next generation of wrestlers, including his nephew Bholu Pahalwan, who later held the Pakistani wrestling championship for many years.

In his later years Gama suffered chronic illness. Industrialist G. D. Birla provided financial help including a lump sum and a monthly pension, and the Government of Pakistan assisted with medical expenses until Gama’s death on 23 May 1960 in Lahore at the age of 82.

Public profile

Gama was widely celebrated for his extraordinary strength and disciplined regimen. Accounts from his career highlight feats such as lifting an enormous stone while visiting Baroda and performing thousands of daily calisthenics. His physical measurements were frequently detailed in contemporary reports: he was billed at about 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) and around 110 kg (250 lb), with substantial chest and arm measurements by the standards of his day.

His training methods influenced later martial artists and fitness enthusiasts; some reports note that Bruce Lee studied aspects of Gama’s routine. Commemorations of his life and career have appeared in public exhibits and cultural tributes, and a Google Doodle in May 2022 celebrated his accomplishments.

Latest updates

Artifacts connected to Gama, including the heavy exercise disc he used in training, are exhibited in Indian sports museums. His place in the history of South Asian wrestling is preserved through the wrestlers he trained and the records of his international contests, which continue to be referenced in accounts of early 20th-century grappling.
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Career Highlights

  1. Won the title Rustam-e-Hind after defeating Raheem Bakhsh Sultani Wala on return to India
  2. Toured England and defeated notable international wrestlers including Benjamin Roller, Maurice Deriaz, Jesse Peterson and Johann Lemm
  3. Defeated Stanislaus Zbyszko in Patiala (January 1928) to claim an Indian version of the World Wrestling Championship
  4. Trained nephew Bholu Pahalwan, who later dominated Pakistani wrestling
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Gama Pehalwan born?

22 May 1878

What is Gama Pehalwan known for?

Wrestler

What is Gama Pehalwan’s marital status?

Married

Who is Gama Pehalwan married to?

Wazeer Begum