In Indian wrestling, there are champions who dominate early and there are champions who never let a match escape them. Sujeet Kalkal belongs firmly to the second category the kind of wrestler who can look beaten for five minutes and still find a way to win in the final thirty seconds.
Ask him about this reputation and he doesn’t romanticise it. “I don’t want to win in the last moment,” he says flatly. “I want to win from the start. But sometimes it happens that I have to score at the last moment. So I have the motive to win.”
That line explains much of Sujeet’s wrestling. The comebacks are not luck. They are trained. He and his coaches specifically prepare for the final phase of bouts the 20-second and 30-second windows when panic sets in for many wrestlers but clarity arrives for him.
“We do training so that we can score in 30 seconds or 20 seconds,” he explains. “Our coaches tell us also.” It is why his matches often feel unfinished until the clock hits zero.
A league that changed the sport. When Sujeet talks about the Pro Wrestling League, there is no trace of cynicism. For him, it represents something much bigger than a paycheck or a stage. After a seven-year gap, PWL’s return feels personal. “After seven years, this pro wrestling league has started in wrestling,” he says. “This will take our wrestling to the next level.” He is blunt about how much visibility matters.
“When there is a world championship or trials or ranking series, people don’t know much about it. There is not much discussion in print media or social media. But there is a league, it is being broadcast on Sony, people are getting to know.” Even his own family can finally watch him.
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“Our family members also come to watch. All our supporters or all those who love the sport also come to watch.” For wrestlers who normally compete in empty halls or remote trials, that shift is enormous.
The lonely weight of 65kg
Sujeet wrestles in one of the toughest categories in the world: 65kg. He knows its history. “It is a legendary category,” he says. “Globally people know that 65kg is fought by very strong wrestlers. In India too, many famous wrestlers have played before.” He has already won a medal at the Under-23 World Championships. But he doesn’t talk about it like an achievement that defines him.
Instead, he sees it as unfinished business.
“In the future too, I will try to bring gold in the Olympics and World Championships for the country.”
There is no bravado in his voice. Just intention. The real difference between 20 and 23 Two years ago, Sujeet was a different athlete. “I was not mentally prepared,” he admits. “I was scared of winning. What will happen if I lose? What will happen if I win?”
At 23, that fear is gone. “I am not scared of the coach. I am not happy if I win or sad if I lose. I am not scared of anything.” That mental neutrality is what allows him to wrestle freely under pressure. When he falls behind, he does not rush.
“In my rest period, I keep myself calm. I am not hyper. It is a physical game, but the mental game is more.” Aggression without control is dangerous. “If I am more aggressive, then I will give the score quickly. Keeping yourself calm is also an art.”
Losses that stay, lessons that remain.
Sujeet says he doesn’t remember defeats except one. “Leaving the world championship,” he admits. “That was a very close bout. I was a little sad about that.” But even that loss has been processed. “I have learned a lot from that. Next time, I will make myself stronger.” There is no bitterness. Just calibration.
Why India struggles at senior level.
When asked why India does well in age-group wrestling but struggles in senior championships, Sujeet doesn’t hide behind excuses. He points to motivation. “When a boy or girl is 19–20 years old, he gets a medal in the world or Asia. After that they get offers army, railways or others. After joining that, the motivation to get a medal reduces.”
The hunger fades. “We just practice for enjoyment. We don’t think much ahead.”
Sujeet refuses to fall into that trap.
His motivation is deeply personal. “My motivation is my father.”
He already has a job. He already has security. But he doesn’t see himself as employed. “I got a job three years ago. I still don’t feel that I am on a job.” His father doesn’t push him with fear only belief.
“He keeps telling me: If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. You don’t have so much pressure. But you can do it. You can become an Olympic champion.” Sujeet listens. “I am doing it now.” Born into the mud pit, there was no idol. No poster on the wall. No single moment. “When I was 3–4 years old, I used to go to the mud pit in our village. Since then, I have been associated with wrestling.”
That’s all there is. “When medals came, my interest increased.” He does not think about quitting. “I really like this sport. I enjoy it.”
Why PWL matters beyond entertainment
In the league, Sujeet competes against international wrestlers in his own weight class something Indian wrestlers rarely get. “In every weight category, only one person represents India. Here we are in the same weight category.” That exposure matters. “It will be a good experience for Indian wrestlers. And the coming year is very important. We can expect a lot of medals from India.”
Sujeet Kalkal does not talk like a superstar. He talks like a craftsman. Calm. Precise. Focused on what comes next. And when the clock starts ticking in the last 30 seconds, that calm becomes his greatest weapon.
