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Bajrang Punia (born 26 February 1994) is an Indian politician and a freestyle wrestler. He is a member of the Indian National Congress serving as the Working President of the All India Kisan Congress.[1] Punia joined Congress party along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat in September 2024.[2][3] In his new role with Congress, Punia is involved in raising the issues of farmers in Haryana as well as in other states.[1][3]
As a wrestler, Punia competes in the 65-kg weight category. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Punia won a bronze medal by defeating Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov with a 8–0 margin.[4] Punia is the only Indian wrestler to win four medals at the World Wrestling Championships.[5] He is a recipient of Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India which he gave up as a protest after a close aide of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was elected as Wrestling Federation of India chief.[6]
Punia was born in Khudan village, Jhajjar, Haryana, India.[7][8] He began wrestling at the age of seven and was encouraged to pursue the sport by his father.[9] Punia grew up in rural area. His family did not have money for traditional sports. Instead, he had to partake in free sports like Wrestling and Kabaddi.[10] Punia's father was a wrestler as well and at a young age, his family enrolled him in a local mud wrestling school. Punia started to skip school to go to wrestling practice.[10] He went to Chattarsal Stadium in 2008 where he was trained by Ramphal Mann. In 2015, his family moved to Sonepat so that he could attend a regional center of Sports Authority of India.
He used to work in the Indian Railways on the post of Gazetted officer OSD Sports and resigned in 2024 September[8] Punia is married to fellow wrestler Sangeeta Phogat.[11]
On 7 September 2024, Punia joined Indian National Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat after meeting Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi just before the 2024 Haryana Legislative Assembly election.[3] According to some political analysts, Punia and Phogat's entry in Congress was a boost for the party, which was aiming to consolidate Jat votes and capitalize on the anti-incumbency against the Haryana BJP in the 2024 state elections.[2]
On 22 October 2024, Punia took charge as Working President of the All India Kisan Congress at the Congress party headquarters in the New Delhi in the presence of senior party leaders, including All India Kisan Congress National President, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Congress General Secretary Kumari Selja, former Union Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh, and newly elected party MLA and former wrestler Vinesh Phogat. [1] According to senior Congress leaders, Punia was expected to raise the voice of the farmers and labourers of the country in his new important role in the party.[1]
In New Delhi, India, in the semi-final bout, Bajrang lost 3–1 to Hwang Ryong-hak of North Korea to win the bronze medal in the men's freestyle 60 kg category.
In the Round of 16, he faced Shogo Maeda of Japan, beating him 3–1. His opponent in the quarter-finals was Morad Hassan of Iran whom he beat 3–1 to qualify for the semi-finals.[12]
In Budapest, Hungary, Bajrang won the bronze medal in the men's freestyle 60 kg category by qualifying for the bronze medal bout through the repechage round. There, he met Enkhsaikhany Nyam-Ochir of Mongolia and beat him 9–2.[citation needed]
In the Round of 32, he faced Vladimir Dubov of Bulgaria who beat him 7–0. With the Bulgarian grappler qualifying for the final bout, Bajrang then faced Shogo Maeda of Japan and earned a walkover. His next opponent was Ivan Guidea of Romania, and with a 10–3 win over the Romanian, Bajrang earned a spot in the bronze medal bout.[13]
In Glasgow, Scotland, he won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 61 kg category, after losing 1–4 to David Tremblay of Canada.
In the Round of 16, Bajrang faced Sasha Madyarchyk of England and beat him 4–0. He faced Marno Plaatjies of South Africa in the quarter-finals and won 4–1. The Nigerian wrestler, Amas Daniel, was his opponent in the semi-finals and overcame him in a 3–1 score line.[14][15]
In Incheon, South Korea, he won the silver medal in the Men's freestyle 61 kg category, after losing 1–3 to Masoud Esmaeilpoorjouybari of Iran.
In the Round of 16, he faced Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg of Mongolia and beat him 3–1. His quarter-finals opponent was Farkhodi Usmonzoda of Tajikistan whom he beat 4–1 to qualify for the semi-finals. He was assured of a medal when he beat Noriyuki Takatsuka of Japan 4–1 in the semi-finals.[16]
In Astana, Kazakhstan, Bajrang won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 61 kg category, losing 0–4 to Masoud Esmaeilpour of Iran.
In the Round of 16, he met Lee Seung-Chul of South Korea, whom he beat 3–1. In the quarter-finals, he faced Noriyuki Takatsuka of Japan, whom he beat 3–1 to qualify for the semi-finals. There he met Nazmandakh Lhamgarmaa of Mongolia whom he beat 3–1 to assure himself of a medal.[17]
Unlike his fellow Narsingh Yadav, Bajrang was not able to win a medal at the tournament in Las Vegas and finished 5th.[18]
In the Round of 32, he met Batboldyn Nomin of Mongolia who beat him 10–0. With the Mongolian qualifying for the final bout in the 61 kg category, Bajrang got a chance to contest in the Repêchage round. His first opponent in the repêchage round was Reece Humphrey of the USA whom he beat 6–0 easily. The second repêchage opponent was Beka Lomtadze from Georgia who put up a fight but was ultimately overcome 13–6 by the Indian. Unfortunately, he fell at the last hurdle, drawing the bronze medal bout 6–6 but his opponent Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine, scoring the last point.[18]
In 2017 May, he won a gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship held in Delhi.[8]
Bajrang was the second acquisition of the JSW owned Bangalore franchise in the auction conducted in New Delhi. The wrestler was picked up for a sum of Rs 29.5 lakh.[19]
The Pro Wrestling League was scheduled to be held from 10 December to 27 December across six cities.[20]
In Gold Coast, Australia, he won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 65 kg category. He overcame Kane Charig of Wales by Technical Superiority to clinch the gold.[21]
On 19 August, he won the Men's freestyle 65 kg /Gold medal. He defeated Japanese Wrestler Takatani Daichi 11–8; the score was locked at 6–6 after the first round.[22][23]
Bajrang won Silver at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. After that silver medal, he claimed World No. 1 in 65 kg category.[24]
He won Bronze for the second time at a World Championship, thereby qualifying India for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the 65 kg freestyle wrestling event.
On 18 January, Bajrang defeated Jordan Oliver 4–3 in the final in the 65 kg freestyle category at the Ranking Series.[25]
In 2021, he won the gold medal in the 65 kg event at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021 held in Rome, Italy.[26]
He clinched a silver medal at the 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships after losing to Takuto Otoguro in the final.[27]
On 6 August 2021, he won the pre-quarterfinal match in 65 kg category in 2020 Summer Olympics against Ernazar Akmataliev and his quarter-final match against Morteza Ghiasi Cheka.[28][29]
In the bronze medal match, he defeated the Kazakhstani wrestler Daulet Niyazbekov, winning by a margin of 8–0.[30]
Bajrang and the other Indian Olympians were featured in a can by the Indian soft drink manufacturer, Thums Up.[31]
Bajrang clinched the gold medal with a dominating win over Canada's Lachlan McNeil in the 65kg final bout at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.[32]
In April 2024, Punia was suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for refusing to give his urine sample for a dope test during the selection trials of the 2024 Olympic qualifiers.[33] Subsequently, he was also suspended by the wrestling global body, the United Wrestling World (UWW).[34] Punia has gone to court and appealed against his suspension.[33]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022 World Wrestling Championships | Belgrade | 65 kg | 
|
 Sebastian Rivera (PUR)
|
| 2019 | 2019 World Wrestling Championships | Nur-Sultan | 65 kg |
|
 Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ)
|
| 2018 | 2018 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest | 65 kg | 
|
 Takuto Otoguro (JPN)
|
| 2017 | 2017 World Wrestling Championships | Paris France | 65 kg | 13th |  Zurabi Iakobishvili (GEO)
|
| 2016 | 2016 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest | 61 kg | 9th |  Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE)
|
| 2015 | 2015 World Wrestling Championships | Las Vegas | 61 kg | 5th |  Batboldyn Nomin (MGL)
|
| 2013 | 2013 World Wrestling Championships | Hungry | 60 kg |
|
 Vladimir Dubov (BUL)
|
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2017 World U23 Wrestling Championships | Bydgoszcz | 65 kg |
|
 Nachyn Kuular (RUS)
|
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2018 Asian Games | Jakarta | 65kg | 
|
Daichi Takatani (JPN)
|
| 2014 | 2014 Asian Games | Incheon | 61kg |
|
 Masoud Esmaeilpour (IRI)
|
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022 Commonwealth Games | Birmingham | 65kg |
|
 Lachlan McNeil (CAN)
|
| 2018 | 2018 Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast | 65kg |
|
 Kane Charig (WAL)
|
| 2014 | 2014 Commonwealth Games | Glasgow | 61kg |
|
David Tremblay (CAN)
|
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships | Almaty | 65kg |
|
Takuto Otoguro (JPN)
|
| 2020 | 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships | New Delhi | 65kg |
|
Takuto Otoguro (JPN)
|
| 2019 | 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships | Xi'an | 65kg |
|
Sayatbek Okassov (KAZ)
|
| 2018 | 2018 Asian Wrestling Championships | Bishkek | 65kg |
|
Daichi Takatani (JPN)
|
| 2017 | 2017 Asian Wrestling Championships | New Delhi | 65kg |
|
 Seunghui Lee (KOR)
|
| 2016 | 2016 Asian Wrestling Championships | Bangkok | 65kg | 10th |  Kum Su JON (PRK)
|
| 2014 | 2014 Asian Wrestling Championships | Astana | 61kg |
|
Masoud Esmaeilpour (IRI)
|
| 2013 | 2013 Asian Wrestling Championships | New Delhi | 60kg |
|
Yang Jae-hoon (KOR)
|
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Tokyo Olympics 2020 | Tokyo | 65 kg |
|
Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan)
|
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Punia has been protesting against the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief - Brij Bhushan Singh. The instances of sexual harassment ranged from 2012 to 2022.[43] Punia has called on the public to show their support at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
Following a scuffle between wrestlers and Delhi police at Jantar Mantar, Punia expressed concern about the treatment of wrestlers and its implications for their careers, stating:[44][45][46][47]
What are we supposed to do with the medals if this is how we are going to be treated? It is unfortunate that a person accused of sexual harassment attended the inauguration of the new Parliament building. It took Delhi Police only a few hours to register an FIR against us but it took them 7 days to register an FIR against Brij Bhushan Singh.
 Gold medalists |
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|---|---|
 Silver medalists | |
 Bronze medalists |
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1954–1958: 67 kg • 1962–1966: 70 kg • 1970–1994: 68 kg • 1998: 69 kg • 2002–2010: 66 kg • 2014–present: 65 kg | |
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