Thread by @LaffajPanditIND

#KnowYourHistory

#AsalBharat - 005

Murlikant Rajaram Petkar - The champion who won India's first individual gold at any Olympics long before Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra -

Who is India's first individual Olympic gold medalist at any level?

Is it Abhinav Singh Bindra? No.
Is it Neeraj Chopra? NO!

It was a young war hero, who had overcome a life threatening accident thrust by an unjust war, to win India's first ever individual gold at any kind of Olympics, whether the Summer Olympics or the Para Olympics.

This man's name was Craftsman Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, a war hero who could have been a champion boxer, but destiny had chosen something else for him.

His life is the stuff of legendary biopics, and yet, like Karnam Malleswari, he has not been given a single space on screen.

Had it not been for a ruthless Bollywood, probably Sushant Singh Rajput would have done the miracle of bringing the journey of this man on screen.

Sadly, that miracle remains unfulfilled -

indianexpress.com/article/india/…

In fact, until Modi government, nobody even knew that this man even existed. His achievements were either unknowingly, or deliberately, kept off records.

But who was Murlikant Petkar? What did he achieve that we're still unaware of?

Born in Pet Sangli, Maharashtra, Murlikant was a devoted wrestler from childhood. However, during a wrestling match, he challenged a wrestler from a rival clan, who also happened to be a close relative of the village head.

Despite being just 12 years old, Murli not only pummeled that wrestler, but also won the prize money. Unable to accept their defeat, the rival clan almost killed the young boy. He ran away, never to come back to the village.

[Source : Courage Beyond Compare]

Murli joined his relatives in Pune, and soon enrolled in the boys camp for the Indian Army. He was selected for his prowess in sports, and was soon enrolled into the Indian Army.

In those days, hockey was the most popular sport, and like everyone, Murli wanted to contribute his bit as well. However, due to reasons best known to him, Murlikant couldn't make it. It was then that his coach suggested to pick up boxing.

Working as a craftsman at the same EME Centre in Secunderabad, which gave rise to the legendary Milkha Singh, Murlikant groomed himself into a champion boxer. He was sent for a military boxing championship to Japan in 1964 -

Despite having no international experience, Murlikant stormed into the finals. It was only here that he suffered a knockout. However, for a debutant boxer, a silver medal was nothing small, though he was disappointed for not winning gold.
[Source : Courage Beyond Compare]

Before the likes of Hawa Singh, Gurcharan Singh and Vijender, Murlikant Petkar could have been India's answer to the likes of Teofilo Stevenson and Cassius Clay [later Muhammad Ali].

However, none were prepared for the evil designs of our neighbor, Pakistan.

The year was 1965. India had barely managed to recover from the scars of the Indo China War of 1962, when Pakistan launched another offensive.

Codenamed Operation Gibraltar, the aim of this mission was to infiltrate Kashmir valley and initiate an uprising against India.

However, the haste employed in executing the plan ruined the mission altogether and Indians used the urgency to their advantage.

The Pakistanis could not mingle with Kashmiris either, which worked to India's advantage, and war was inevitable -

Into this, Murlikant was thrust as his unit was sent to Kashmir. Once, he was out for a tea break, when an air raid devastated the camp he was lodged in.

Not only was he riddled with bullets in the spine, a jeep also accidentally ran over him in haste.

It was all but over for Murli. Once a promising boxer, he was now just a war cripple. Doctors almost gave up on him, and for once, Murli thought so as well. However, his own suicide attempt was unsuccessful, and he decided to try it again.

From being almost immobile, Murlikant aimed to become at least enough strong to move his arms and his fingers. He recuperated at INHS Ashwini, a naval hospital in Bombay. It is here that he learnt swimming, which would change the course of his life.

Some officials from TATA Motors came to ask the war veterans for any kind of help. When they asked the same from Murli, pat came the reply, 'I want no financial assistance. Just give me a job, and I'll be fine'. He got one as well, and soon he was employed with TELCO.

Soon, Murlikant heard about the Para Olympics, i.e. the Olympics for wheelchair bound athletes, the first edition of which would be held at Tel Aviv in 1968. He appealed to his seniors to let him participate. They not only allowed him, but also gave him financial assistance.

Another man who was like a 'godsent angel' to him was ex cricketer Vijay Merchant. Vijay Merchant took personal interest in Petkar's journey, and supported his journey till Heidelberg 1972 -

dtnext.in/News/Sports/20…

In Heidelberg 1972, Murlikant created a new world record in Men's 50 meter freestyle swimming event, winning it in 37.33 seconds to win India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal at any level -

However, since India didn't keep records of para athletes before 1980, Murlikant Petkar became an unsung hero. It was only after people took serious interest in his journey post Rio Paralympics, that his feats were recognized.

46 years after he made India proud, Murlikant Petkar was finally awarded Padma Shri for his services -