On May 4, 2021, India’s Sushil Kumar, a two-time Olympic medalist, and 2010 World champion, allegedly murdered Sagar Rana, a 23-year-old who competed at 97 kg in Greco-Roman wrestling, during a brawl outside Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi. Police are still searching for Kumar who has gone into hiding. 

The 37-year-old is the greatest wrestler that India has ever produced. He won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and a silver in 2012. He is the only Indian to win two Olympic medals and in 2010 he became the only wrestler from India to ever win the World Championships. 

“We didn't have wrestlers who won Olympics medals in India,” said wrestling journalist Vinay Siwach. “Sushil is known by everyone here.” 

Below are highlights of Kumar’s wrestling career. 

1998

Kumar showed promise by winning the Cadet World Championships at 45 kg. American Nate Schy placed 10th. 

1999

Kumar moved up to 50 kg and won his second Cadet World title. American Kyle Ott placed eighth. 

2003

At the age of 20, Kumar wrestled at the Senior World Championships for the first time. The event was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Kumar dropped his semifinal match to eventual champion Arif Abdullaev of Azerbaijan before losing to Jae-Myung Song of Korea for bronze (back when they only awarded one bronze medal). 

Eric Guerrero represented the 60 kg weight for the United States and placed 10th. 

“Sushil was a prodigy in 2003,” Siwach said. “He was young, explosive, and had incredible scrambling power.” 

2004

At the age of 21, Kumar competed at the Athen Olympics but did not qualify out of his pool and placed 14th at 60 kg. American Eric Guerrero placed 16th. 

2005

Placed second to American Jared Lawrence at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. 

2006

Moved up to 66 kg and placed 13th at the World Championships. American Bill Zadick won the weight class. 

2007

Placed seventh at the World Championships (66 kg). American Doug Schwab placed fifth. 

2008

Kumar lost to Andriy Stadnik of Ukraine in the opening round of the Olympics but was pulled back into the tournament when Stadnik reached the 66 kg finals, where he won a silver medal. Kumar defeated Schwab in his first repechage match and eventually won a bronze medal. 

“He beat me,” Schwab said.

Kumar became the first wrestler from India to win an Olympic medal since Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze in 1952. 

2009

Placed fifth at the World Championships. Trent Paulson of the United States placed 24th. 

2010

Won the Asian Championships held in New Delhi then became the first and only Indian wrestler to win the World Championships by defeating Alan Gogaev of Russia in the finals. The tournament was held in Moscow. American Brent Metcalf placed 20th. 

“He defeated a Russian in Russia,” Siwach said. “Sushil was the only one who could have done it.”

2011 

Lost in the first round and placed 14th at the World Championships. American Teyon Ware placed 30th. 

2012

Won the Dave Schultz Memorial International by defeating Chase Pami in the finals. Qualified for the Olympics at the last-chance Olympic qualifier. Defeated 2008 Olympic champion, Ramazan Shahin of Turkey, in the first round. Kumar reached the Olympic finals where he was defeated by Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu of Japan. His silver medal performance marked the first and only time an Indian has won back-to-back Olympic medals. American Jared Frayer finished 17th. 

“Getting back to the Olympics and winning a medal was incredible,” Siwach said.

2016

Countryman Narsingh Yadav won a bronze medal (74 kg) at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas and was selected to represent India the following year at the Olympics. Yadav failed a random doping test on July 24 and was not allowed to compete in the Games. Weeks prior, Kumar went to court in an attempt to earn a wrestle-off with Yadav to make the Olympic Team. Kumar was accused of tampering with Yadav's food at an Indian training camp in order to make him test positive for a banned substance. 

2019

Kumar wrestled sporadically but made his return to the World competition amidst controversy. The 35-year-old was past his prime but moved up to the 74 kg weight class to contend for the spot. Because of his reputation as the country’s greatest wrestler, his first two opponents forfeited at Indian nationals out of respect. 

Kumar competed at the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, and lost to Khadzhimur Gadzhiyev of Azerbaijan, 11-9, in the first round. Gadzhiyev eventually lost to Jordan Burroughs, 8-1, in the quarterfinals.