Balwan Punia, Father and Mentor of Olympic Wrestler Bajrang Punia, Dies After Lung Illness

Balwan Punia, father of Olympian wrestler and Congress leader Bajrang Punia, passed away on Thursday. He had been battling severe lung complications and had been undergoing treatment at Delhi's Gangaram Hospital for the past 18 days. A former wrestler himself, Balwan Punia introduced Bajrang to the sport at a young age and personally trained him in the basics of wrestling. His constant encouragement and sacrifices are credited with shaping Bajrang's career and helping him rise to international prominence.

Bajrang shared the news on social media, expressing his grief and the profound impact of his father's demise. He wrote, "Bapuji is no longer with us. Today at 6:15 PM, he took his last breath. He worked very hard to bring us this far. He was the backbone of our entire family. I don't know how life would be without him."

"My son has realized my dream," Balwan had said after Bajrang clinched a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.