In Pics: Wrestling sensation Bajrang Punia, his Phogat connect and more

At the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Bajrang Punia became the first Indian freestyle wrestler to win a career total of three world championship medals, when he claimed bronze in the 65kg category. (Source: Twitter)

Wrestler Bajrang Punia at a training session ahead of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 2015 Arjuna Award winner had joined the Indian Railways under a sports quota programme that allows him to train and compete internationally. He is employed as an officer on special duty. (Source: Twitter)

Bajrang Punia poses at the Tokyo Olympics Athletes Village ahead of his wrestling event. Bajrang is married to Sangeeta Phogat, the youngest of the Phogat family of wrestlers including sisters Geeta, Babita, and Rita, and cousins Priyanka and Vinesh, who were all raised by her father Mahavir Singh Phogat. Sangeeta is also a freestyle wrestler with multiple medals at national level. (Source: Twitter)

Bajrang Punia, who hails from Khudan village in Jhajjar district of Haryana, began wrestling at the age of just seven. He was encouraged to take up the sport by his father Balwan Singh Punia. "In Haryana, virtually every village has ample space where children play either wrestling or kabaddi on the soil. My elder brother would go to the akhaada (wrestling pit) every day and I started accompanying him," Bajrang is quoted as saying. (Source: Twitter)

Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia (right) with Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Dahiya. Punia is aiming to be third Indian grappler after Sushil Kumar and Ravi Dahiya to reach the Olympics wrestling final. (Source: Twitter)