Wushu in the Limelight: Praveen Kumar Becomes 2nd Indian to Win World Championships Gold

Praveen Kumar, who became the second Indian to win a world championship gold medal in wushu, hopes his medal will enhance the profile of the Chinese martial art in India. The fighter from Haryana defeated Russel Diaz of the Philippines 2-1 in the 48kg men’s sanda event final to win gold at the World Wushu Championships in Shanghai. 

Wushu competitions have events in two disciplines — taolu (demonstration of forms akin to kata demonstration in karate) and sanda (full contact fight). Indian athletes have been doing well in sanda events of wushu, which is the combat version of the martial art. In layman's terms, it is a cross between full-contact kickboxing (close range punches and kicks) and wrestling (takedowns, throws, sweeps and kick catches). In 2017, Pooja Kadian became the first Indian to be crowned world champion in wushu. She won gold in the women’s 75 kg sanda event. 

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Praveen, the 2016 Asian Championships silver medallist, took up wushu in 2011 after watching a state-level tournament in Rohtak. “It had kicks, punches, throws and that intrigued me. I approached Pramod Kataria, who was working in the CRPF then, to help me practice the sport,” Praveen recalls.

Haryana is a state known for its rich tradition in fight sport — wrestling, boxing and judo. Wushu, however, was a relative unknown and Praveen says he was ridiculed initially for picking up the sport.

“My parents were unaware of the sport and friends would make fun of the name wushu. I would show them the fight videos and they started finding it interesting. Fight dekhke bolte the ye to bahut accha game hai (after watching the fights, they found it interesting),” Praveen was quoted as saying by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) after his victory.

Praveen’s victories have not just enhanced his life as an athlete but also that of his sport. The world champion says that he comes across many parents who want their children to take it up as a serious vocation. The 22-year-olds journey, may have begun whimsically on the sidelines of a local tournament but his mind was always set on winning international medals. Praveen is glad that youngsters approaching him for advice for taking up the sport also come with the same mindset after seeing his success.

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“I set up my mind then that I have to do well in the Asian and World meets,” he says. “I am now getting a lot of calls from youngsters and parents asking where to start their training. Pramod Kataria, my senior, has opened his own academy in Haryana, while there are academies in Delhi as well.” 

Praveen also thanks the Indian Army coaches for helping him reach the pinnacle of his sport.

“My Army coaches and mentors kept motivating me, telling me constantly ‘tu yeh kar sakta hai’ (you can do it),” he says. “Every night, as I lay in bed, even I thought that I can probably do it. I started working hard and during the camp two months back, I made up my mind, ‘agar medal laana hai toh gold leke hi aana hai’ (If I have to bring home a medal it has to be gold.”

(With inputs from PTI)

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