Meet The Great Gama: Kashmiri wrestler who defeated 5000+ opponents without losing, inspiring Bruce Lee to follow his routine

You win some, you lose some. That's a principle most athletes go by in sports, a field where wins and losses are a part of the journey. However, there was one Indian wrestler who did not know the word defeat.

Widely known as one of the greatest wrestlers in history, he remained undefeated throughout his career which spanned more than five decades.The Great GamaOn May 22, 1878, Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt was born in the Jabbowal village of Punjab's Kapurthala district. He hailed from a Kashmiri Muslim family with a rich history of wrestling tradition.His father, Mohammad Aziz Baksh, was a respected wrestler who competed in royal courts.

However, at the age of six, he lost his idol and was raised by his maternal grandfather and uncle, who recognised his extraordinary talent and nurtured it, preparing him to become The Great Gama, one of the most exemplary wrestlers the world was ever to see.

A budding icon

Call it being born in a wrestling family or being raised by wrestlers, Gama displayed a shocking physical strength from a young age. As the tales of his prowess spread across the land, he eventually became the court wrestler for the Maharaja of Datia, in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.

Gama's name was not without merit. As per reports, he practised for nearly 15 hours a day and ran while carrying a 54 kg stone around his neck. In terms of his diet, he consumed nearly 10 litres of milk, six desi chicken, half a kilogram of ghee, almond tonic and approximately 100 rotis every day to fuel his workout demands.With his hard work and dedication, The Great Gama built one of the most remarkable records in combat sports history.

He won more than 5,000 bouts without suffering a single defeat. In 1910, his fame and strength even crossed the border when he defeated Polish wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko. Returning home, he conquered national champion, Rahim Sultaniwala despite giving away a significant height disadvantage.In another popular incident, Gama boldly challenged any three wrestlers, regardless of their weight category to face him within just 30 minutes.

While everyone feared the wrestler initially, soon American wrestler Benjamin Roller stepped forward. To the chagrin of many and the happiness of even more, Gama defeated him in just 1 minute and 40 seconds in the first match and 9 minutes and 10 seconds in the rematch.One would believe a man would be dog-tired the day after challenging and fighting powerful wrestlers. But not Gama, since he reportedly defeated 12 wrestlers consecutively, the very next day.With numerous victories under his belt, and thousands of fans of his wrestling tactics, he was awarded the title of 'Rustam-e-Hind'.

The Bruce Lee connection

The word of The Great Gama's wrestling extended well beyond the country. It is believed that martial arts legend Bruce Lee reportedly studied Gama's training methods and incorporated traditional Indian exercises such as dands and baithaks into his own workout routine.However, there is one tale of the Great Gama's life that India mourns. The acclaimed wrestler settled in Pakistan following the Partition of India in 1947. During the period he helped rescue and protect several Hindu families from communal violence.After facing extreme financial hardship in his later years, The Great Gama passed away in 1960 at the age of 82. To date, he is remembered as one of the most iconic wrestlers to have entered the field, and left undefeated.