Imam Baksh Pahalwan

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Imam Baksh was a renowed wrestler and a practitioner of the Indian wrestling style of Pehlwani. Imam was also the brother of Ghulam "the great Gama" Muhammad. Imam arrived in England by april 1910 alongwith fellow wrestler from India, including his brother Ghulam Muhammad, Ahmed Bux, and Gamu to participate in European catch wrestling tournaments.

Health and Strength magazine announced "The Invasion of the Indian Wrestlers" in its May 14, 1910 issue. The members of the Indian group were listed as Gama, Champion of India; Imam Baksh, Champion of Lahore; Ahmed Baksh, Champion of Amritsar; and Gamu, Champion of Jalandhar.

Imam Baksh wrestled Swiss champion John Lemm during his career. The match between Baksh and Lemm ended with Baksh defeating the Swiss champion.

In 1918, Gama Ghulam Muhammad, in a major tournament at Kolhapur, passed his title of Indian champion to Imam Bux, who had thrown Rahim Sultaniwala in 20 minutes.

Imam Baksh was reportedly a superior ground wrestler compared to Ghulam Muhammad. Henry Werner had written that letter saying that Imam Bux would have been a better opponent for Stanislaus Zbyszko than Gama. The editor of Health and Strength wrote that, "in my opinion, he [Gama] is not quite so clever a wrestler as his brother, Imam Bux, who enjoys the advantage of a longer reach."

By the mid 1940's Gama continued to put out challenges but added a stipulation.The stipulation was that anyone who wanted to wrestle the great Gama had to wrestle and defeat Imam first. No one did. [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gandhi's Body: Sex, Diet, and the Politics of Nationalism by Joseph S. Alter

[edit] External Links

[edit] Further reading

  • Lahore: A Memoir By Muḥammad Saʻīd. Published 1989, Vanguard Books. ISBN 9694020085