From Milk Runs To Podium Finish: J&K Wrestler Hamam Hussain Strikes Gold At KITG

Last Updated:April 01, 2026, 18:06 IST

J&K wrestler Hamam Hussain balances milk delivery and training to win his first national gold at KITG 2026, ending a 14-year wait with a breakthrough performance.

For Hamam Hussain, wrestling was never just a sport — it was a pursuit shaped by responsibility, resilience, and routine struggles.

At the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, that journey finally found its reward.

A Long Wait Ends

The 28-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir clinched gold in the men’s 79kg freestyle category, defeating Himachal Pradesh’s Mohit Kumar to secure his first national-level gold medal, after 14 years in the sport.

It was a breakthrough moment for a wrestler who had come close before but never stood on top of the podium.

Balancing Duty and Dreams

Away from the mat, Hussain’s life has been defined by responsibility. Following the death of his father five years ago, he and his elder brother took over the family’s milk business, delivering milk door-to-door to sustain their household.

“My elder brother was also a wrestler… but after our father passed away, all responsibilities came on our shoulders," Hussain said. “He had to quit wrestling and started selling milk. I would go with him… but he motivated me to continue."

The family’s buffaloes became their primary source of income, while wrestling remained Hussain’s passion.

Training Against the Odds

Access to facilities has been another challenge. Hussain travels nearly 20 kilometres from his village to train in a mud akhada and makes a 40-kilometre journey to Jammu when he needs to practise on a mat.

“The SAI centre is in Jammu… it is quite far for us," he explained. “We usually go only when there are competitions; otherwise, we train in mud akhadas."

Without a personal coach, he relies on senior wrestlers for guidance in the village, turning to trained coaches only during occasional sessions on mats.

“In villages, we don’t get the kind of facilities that wrestlers in cities have. If we get better facilities, wrestlers from our region can win more medals," he added.

More Than Just A Medal

For Hussain, this gold reflects years of perseverance under challenging circumstances.

“It feels great to be here… we come from a backward area where there is not much support," he said. “This is the first time such a competition has been organised for us, and if more such events are held, we can win more medals."

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