Gulam

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Part of a series on Indian martial arts

Various Indian martial arts
Pehlwani - Kalarippayattu - Malla-yuddha - Vajra Mushti / Vajra Mukti - Chakram - Kabaddi - Silambam Nillaikalakki - Gatka and other arts
Notable Practitioners
The Great Gama - Phillip Zarrilli - Karl Gotch - John Will - Jyesthimallas - Gobar Goho - Imam Baksh Pahalwan - Paul Whitrod - Gulam
Related articles
Kshatriya - Yoga - Indian mêlée weapons - Dravidian martial arts - Ayurveda - Sri Lankan martial arts - Indian martial arts in popular culture - Topics related to Kalarippayattu - Foreign influence on Chinese martial arts

Gulam was a renowed wrestler and a practitioner of the Indian wrestling style of Pehlwani. Gulam participated in early catch wrestling tournaments in Europe. At 5 foot 9, 280 pounds, Gulam wrestled in Paris in 1900 at the time of the great exposition.

In Paris, Gulam's manager extended a challenge to Turkish wrestler Cour-Derelli. The wrestling bout in Paris saw the likes of Pandit Motilal Nehru in attendence.

Edmond Desbonnet’s account of the bout was given in his 1910 book, Les Rois de la Lutte. According to this account, the newcomer dominated Cour-Derelli. In order to avoid harming the financial interests of those who bet on Cour-Derelli, the bets on the bout were called off. Gulam was proclaimed the winner, but all bets were reimbursed.

Gulam returned to India where, shortly after 1900, he died of cholera.

Desbonnet referred to Gulam as one of he two "super wrestlers" of modern times (the other being Youssouf Ishmaelo) and Stanislaus Zbyszko told Robert W. Smith that, although he had never met Gulam himself, "I got information off one wrestler who did train with Gulam. He was the ruler of his day, of the mat, of human strength."

Gulam should not be confused with Ghulam "Great Gama" Muhammed who was another renowned Pehlwani wrestler, and dominated the scene in the first half of the 20th century.