Bollywood action star Akshay Kumar has 'adopted' six wrestlers, who are economically backward, in a bid to popularise the sport, an official said. "Akshay's decision came days before the 10th All India Wrestling Championship opens here on February 1. Participants and lovers of this sport from all over India are expected to gather here," said Sanjay Nirupam, Congress spokesman in Maharashtra and organiser of the event.
"Last year, when Akshay attended the programme, he had publicly expressed a desire to adopt a few wrestlers to encourage more to take up the ancient Indian sport. We are happy that he has honoured the commitment," Nirupam told IANS.
Nirupam introduced six of the year's best wrestlers to Akshay and the star readily accepted the proposal. The wrestlers are - Bipin Varma, Ajay Yadav, Kallu Yadav, Gopal Yadav (all from Mumbai), Amol Patil (Jalgaon) and Ranjeet Nalawade (Kolhapur). Nirupam said that the 'adoption' means that Akshay will sponsor their diet for the next five years.
"Wrestlers usually hail from economically backward sections and are unable to afford the specialised diet to excel in the challenging sport. Akshay's sponsorship will go a long way in helping these six wrestlers confidently tackle domestic and international challenges, including the next Olympics - our prime target," Nirupam explained.
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