Ambikapur: From Delivering Milk to Winning First Career Gold — Inspiring Story of Hamam Hussain from Jammu and Kashmir

A 28-year-old wrestler who continued training while delivering milk door-to-door to support his family
Travels 20 km for mud arena practice and 40 km to Jammu for mat training

Ambikapur, April 2026 : When Hamam Hussain from Jammu and Kashmir is not training in wrestling, he delivers milk door-to-door with his elder brother. The 28-year-old, a resident of Zorawar village in Jammu, has always balanced life and sport together. After the death of his father five years ago, the responsibility of the family fell on his and his elder brother’s shoulders. Together, they ran the household by selling milk, while Hamam kept his wrestling dream alive.

His struggle finally paid off at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, where he won the gold medal in the men’s 79 kg freestyle category by defeating Mohit Kumar of Himachal Pradesh. This is the first national-level gold medal in his 14-year wrestling career.

Hamam told SAI Media, “My elder brother was also a wrestler and had played at the state level. After our father’s death, all responsibilities came upon us. My brother had to leave wrestling and started selling milk. I also used to go with him for deliveries because running the family was important. But he always motivated me to continue wrestling and took me to competitions.”

He said the buffaloes left behind by his father became the family’s primary source of livelihood. A father of one child, Hamam added, “My brother managed the household by selling milk, and I helped him. But when I stepped into the mud arena, I developed a deep love for wrestling.”

Despite limited resources, Hamam never lost hope. He travels around 20 kilometres from his village to train in a mud arena and covers nearly 40 kilometres to Jammu for mat training—while continuing to fulfil his family responsibilities.

“There is an SAI centre in Jammu, but since we live in a lower region, it is difficult to go there regularly. We usually go there during competitions; otherwise, we practice in village arenas,” he said.

He further added, “I do not have a personal coach. Senior wrestlers in the arena guide us. When we train on mats, there are coaches. In villages, we do not get facilities like in cities. If we get better facilities, wrestlers from our region can win more medals at national and international levels.”

For Hamam, this gold medal is not just a victory but a symbol of years of struggle and dedication.

He concluded, “It feels great to be here. The facilities were excellent. We come from a backward area where there is little support for wrestling, so we have to travel long distances. This is the first time such a competition has been organised for us. If more such events are held, we can win many more medals.”