Yogeshwar Dutt is an Indian freestyle wrestler from Haryana who won bronze in the 60kg category at the 2012 London Olympics. He is one of the few Indian wrestlers to win an Olympic medal, after K D Jadhav and Sushil Kumar. He also won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2014 and at the 2014 Asian Games, and he received the Padma Shri. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in September 2019.
Yogeshwar Dutt Early Life
Yogeshwar Dutt was born on 2 November 1982 in Bhainswal Kalan, a village in Sonipat district of Haryana. He took up wrestling at the age of eight. His village is known for wrestling, and he learned the sport in the akhara, the traditional mud wrestling ring. His early coach was Ramphal.
He lost many bouts while growing up and learned from them as he moved up the ranks.
Yogeshwar Dutt Personal Life
Yogeshwar Dutt's father, Ram Mehar Dutt, was a farmer, and his mother is Sushila Devi. On 16 January 2017 he married Sheetal Sharma in a private ceremony in Singhola on the outskirts of Delhi. His wife is also from Sonipat.
The wedding drew attention because Yogeshwar said he took only one rupee as a token and no dowry.
Yogeshwar Dutt Professional Life
2006 Asian Games:
His father died on 3 August 2006, nine days before he left for the Asian Games in Doha. Yogeshwar still competed and won bronze in the 60kg category.
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Yogeshwar won gold in the 60kg freestyle category.
At the 2012 London Olympics he lost to Besik Kudukhov of Russia in the pre-quarterfinal, then won through the repechage. He beat Ri Jong-myong of North Korea in the bronze medal bout of the men's freestyle 60kg event. He became the third Indian wrestler, after K D Jadhav and Sushil Kumar, to win an Olympic medal.
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow he won gold in the 65kg category, beating Jevon Balfour of Canada 10-0 in the final.
At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon he beat Zalimkhan Yusupov of Tajikistan in the final to win gold in the 65kg freestyle category.
2016 Rio Olympics: Yogeshwar competed in the 65kg freestyle event. He lost his first bout 0-3 to Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran of Mongolia and was knocked out. He had said before the Games that Rio would be his last Olympics.
The 2012 Olympic medal and the Kudukhov case
In August 2016, reports said his London bronze would be upgraded to silver after a retest of Besik Kudukhov's sample from the 2012 Games. The International Olympic Committee later dropped the case against Kudukhov, who died in 2013, and Yogeshwar's medal remained bronze.
Awards
- Yogeshwar Dutt received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2012.
- He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013.
- After the 2012 Olympic bronze, the Haryana government announced a cash reward of Rs. 10 million, and a public sector bank gave him a 4x4 vehicle.
Yogeshwar Dutt Achievements
Olympic Games: Bronze: 2012 London
- He beat Ri Jong-myong of North Korea in the bronze medal bout in the 60kg freestyle category.
Asian Games: Bronze: 2006 Doha, Gold: 2014 Incheon
- He won bronze in the 60kg freestyle category at the 2006 Asian Games.
- He won gold in the 65kg freestyle category at the 2014 Asian Games.
Commonwealth Games: Gold: 2010 Delhi, Gold: 2014 Glasgow
- He won his first Commonwealth Games gold in the 60kg freestyle category in 2010.
- He won his second gold in the 65kg category in 2014.
Asian Championships:
- He won gold in the 60kg category at the 2008 Asian Championships in Jeju.
- He won gold in the 60kg category again at the 2012 Asian Championships in Gumi.
Commonwealth Championships:
- He won gold in the 55kg freestyle category at the 2003 Commonwealth Championships in London.
- He won gold in the 60kg freestyle category and silver in Greco-Roman at the 2005 edition.
- He won gold in the 60kg freestyle category and silver in Greco-Roman at the 2007 edition in London.
Yogeshwar Dutt Politics
Yogeshwar Dutt joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in September 2019, ahead of the Haryana assembly elections. He was the party's candidate in Baroda, Sonipat district, in 2019 and again in the 2020 bypoll, and lost both times.
In 2023 he spoke on the wrestlers' protest in Delhi. He criticised the exemption of six wrestlers from trials for the Asian Games and the World Championships. He also denied a claim by Bajrang Punia that he had asked Bajrang to concede a match.
Yogeshwar Dutt Personal Information
Name: Yogeshwar Dutt
Nickname: Yogi
Profession: Freestyle Wrestler
Father's name: Ram Mehar Dutt
Mother's name: Sushila Devi
Coach: Ramphal
Date of Birth: 2 November, 1982
Birth Place: Bhainswal Kalan, Sonipat district, Haryana
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Bhainswal Kalan, Sonipat district, Haryana
Yogeshwar Dutt Controversy
In 2016 the Indian Olympic Association named the actor Salman Khan as a goodwill ambassador for the Indian contingent at the Rio Olympics. Yogeshwar Dutt voiced his displeasure. He said India had no shortage of athletes who could be named for the role and that a sportsperson would have been a better choice than a film star.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Yogeshwar Dutt?
Yogeshwar Dutt is an Indian freestyle wrestler from Haryana who won bronze in the 60kg category at the 2012 London Olympics. He also won Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold medals.
When and where was Yogeshwar Dutt born?
He was born on 2 November 1982 in Bhainswal Kalan, a village in Sonipat district of Haryana.
Which Olympic medal did Yogeshwar Dutt win?
He won bronze in the men's freestyle 60kg event at the 2012 London Olympics, beating Ri Jong-myong of North Korea in the bronze medal bout.
Was Yogeshwar Dutt's 2012 Olympic bronze upgraded to silver?
Reports in August 2016 said it would be upgraded after Besik Kudukhov's retest, but the IOC later dropped the case against Kudukhov and the medal remained bronze.
How did Yogeshwar Dutt do at the 2016 Rio Olympics?
He lost his first bout 0-3 to Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran of Mongolia in the 65kg freestyle event and was knocked out.
How many Commonwealth Games gold medals did Yogeshwar Dutt win?
He won two, in the 60kg category in 2010 at Delhi and the 65kg category in 2014 at Glasgow.
Did Yogeshwar Dutt win gold at the Asian Games?
Yes. He won gold in the 65kg freestyle category at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. He also won bronze at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.
Which awards has Yogeshwar Dutt received?
He received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2012 and the Padma Shri in 2013.
Who is Yogeshwar Dutt's wife?
Yogeshwar Dutt married Sheetal Sharma on 16 January 2017. He said he took only one rupee as a token and no dowry.
Is Yogeshwar Dutt in politics?
Yes. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in September 2019 and lost the Baroda seat in 2019 and in the 2020 bypoll.
