Aware, who clinched the yellow metal in the men's 57kg freestyle wrestling Down Under this year, revealed how the army and police uniform fascinated him when his father Balasaheb used to narate tales about the 1999 Kargil war
India's Rahul Aware celebrates after winning the 57kg wrestling gold at the Gold Coast CWG earlier this year. Pic/PTI
India's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning wrestler Rahul Aware is all set to be appointed as Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mahastratra next week.
Aware, who clinched the yellow metal in the men's 57kg freestyle wrestling Down Under this year, revealed how the army and police uniform fascinated him when his father Balasaheb used to narate tales about the 1999 Kargil war.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I was probably just eight or nine when the Kargil war was going on. My father used to tell me stories about the war after reading the newspapers. Three army soldiers became martyrs from our Patoda taluka in Beed district. We even lost a soldier from our village, Navnath Walekar, to the war. It really hurt me. It was then that I decided to join the Army or become a Police Inspector. After getting this opportunity, I am confident that I will be able to shoulder this responsibility," Aware told mid-day from Pune yesterday.
Balasaheb, a former wrestler and coach, who is guiding around 40 wrestlers free of cost at his talim (training centre), Jai Hanuman Vyayam Shala, near Patoda, was ecstatic after the Mahastashtra government's announcement yesterday. "I am delighted to hear that Rahul will now be a police officer. I remember he forcing me to buy a police uniform when he was in the fourth standard," said senior Aware from Patoda.
Meanwhile, Rahul, 28, who's nursing a right shoulder injury, is aiming to make a comeback at the World Championships that will be held in Hungary from October 22 to 27. "Before joining the police, I will be meeting the Chief Minister [Devendra Fadnavis] to inform him that wrestling will be my priority. I want him to know about my desire of winning an Olympic medal. A lot of people might say that since I've got a job, wrestling will be secondary, but that will not be the case. I will request the CM to allow me to concentrate on my game and practice only," Rahul added.
Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
