Pawars8217; 8211; preserving a tradition

PUNE, Aug 13: The Guruji and his Akhada have finally received their dues. And just in time as well. For, the news of Kaka Pawar having re...

PUNE, Aug 13: The Guruji and his Akhada have finally received their dues. And just in time as well. For, the news of Kaka Pawar having received the 1998 Arjuna Award has come as a breath of oxygen to traditional wrestling in Maharashtra, which has been dying a tortuous death in the last couple of years.

Much of the credit for the new lease of life provided to this sport, that was once the pride of rural Maharashtra, must go to Kaka and his family who have valiantly weathered the storms ravaging wrestling. Therefore, the honour that is being bestowed upon the 28-year-old grappler has understandably caused much rejoicing among the wrestling clan in the state and the 100-odd grapplers being trained at the Gokul Wastad Talim who look upon Kaka as their idol.

Kaka Pawar is only the second wrestler from Maharashtra who will receive the prestigious Arjuna Award, the first being Ganpat Andhalkar of Kolhapur in 1964-65. Kaka Pawar was also bestowed with the Shiv Chhatrapati award by the State government in 1996.

Though the newly married Kaka Pawar is celebrating the good news in his small village called Sai near Latur along with his family, the joy at the Talim located in the city at Ramoshi Gate, Timber Market, is palpable. Kaka8217;s pupils and peers can hardly wait for their mentor8217;s return so that they can share with him the joy emanating from the achievement of a life time.

And the happiest of all are Guruji Harishchandra Birajdar, a Rustume-Hind-Kesari Awardee 1972 and Govind Pawar 8212; Kaka8217;s younger brother and international grappler.

The younger Pawar enthuses: 8220;Kaka has been waiting for this moment for a long time. He was thinking of retiring earlier but continued with the aim of getting this award.8221;

Govind, following in his brother8217;s footsteps, informs about Kaka8217;s next ambition 8212; that of competing in the Olympics before retiring. Kaka revealed this aim after learning of the honour when he spoke to Govind on telephone.

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Govind adds: 8220;He wants to take up full-fledged coaching. He plans to take time out from his Railways job to concentrate on training pupils in the village akhada, started by him in 1995 so that more youngsters take to the sport and keep the ancient game alive.8221;

Having been initiated into the Talim when he was just 15 years old, Kaka has extended the family8217;s golden lineage that had started with grandfather Narayan Pawar and was handed down to father Kishorrao Pawar.

Says Guruji: 8220;He was clever, well built and looked interested,8221; recollecting the time when Kaka was brought to the Talim. 8220;We are proud of him. He has always showed the best results. He has dominated the National circuit since 1989 and has many international medals to his credit. Today, with the Arjuna Award, he has become the motivating factor that other wrestlers so desperately need if the sport has to be kept alive.8221;