Asiad gold winner honed skills in Gonda

FAIZABAD: Golden boy Bajrang Punia who won the first gold medal for India at Jakarta Asian Games on Sunday hails from Haryana but has also honed his skills at the wrestling academy in Nandini Nagar Mahavidyala in Gonda and is a student of the college.
Bajrang is a student of BA 3rd year (private) in the college which is run by BJP MP and president of wrestling federation of India Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.
A four-time national champion, Bajrang also undergoes training in Nandini Nagar college’s wrestling academy as it has a faculty from Sports Authority of India. However, he has been doing his regular training in Haryana under the guidance of his personal coach and trainer.
Punia (24) defeated Japan’s Daiji Takatani in the under 65 kg freestyle final. He has earlier won golds in international championships held in Australia, Gerojia and Istanbul.
Talking to TOI, Dr Satyendra Singh, incharge of wrestling centre of the college, said, “All the people in the college are overjoyed as our student has won a gold medal for the nation. He is four-time national champion and had aslo won gold in All-India inter university wrestling championship two years ago.”
The college’s founder-manager BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who is in Jakarta as Chef de Mission of Indian contingent, said in a statement that it was a great achievement for the college as its student won a gold for the nation.
“We were hopeful that Punia will win gold and he has done it. Whenever wrestling matches were organised in college, he used to be present always and boosted the morale of new wrestlers,” said the college wrestling coach Prem Chandra Yadav.
“Bajrang’s win is a huge achievement and a proud moment for us. It will encourage us to perform well,” said Rahul a student of the college who also trains at its wrestling academy.