CHANDIGARH, Jan 29: As part of the tercentenary celebrations of the Birth of Khalsa Panth, two freestyle wrestling shows, under the aegis of World Wrestling Federation (WWF), are likely to be held in Punjab in April. This was disclosed by Tigerjeet Singh, a former world wrestling champion and now an international ambassador of the WWF."Discussions are on with the prospective organisers and we are hopeful of conducting two big shows in Punjab," informed Tigerjeet, who hails from a small village near Ludhiana and is now settled in Milton, Canada. Tigerjeet is on a promotional visit to India.Plans are also afoot to organise WWF shows in metropolises like Calcutta, Delhi and Mumbai. "India has a big market for wrestling and people are crazy about bulging biceps," Tigerjeet, who stands 6 ft, 3 inches tall, said. But he observed that the potential Indian market is still untapped.Tigerjeet's eldest son, Tiger Ali Singh, who has been blessed by the Great Mohammad Ali, would be the main attraction. "The twenty-five-year-old Ali is an incredible hulk. He is 6 ft, 6 inches tall, weighs nearly 300 pounds and has 23-inch biceps," disclosed the proud father.The WWF shows would also be held in Far East countries to promote wrestling. Shows in Bangladesh and Singapore are scheduled for November and there are plans in the pipeline to conduct shows in Pakistan in October, Tiger said.The former champion who ruled the international freestyle wrestling arena for more than two decades, is also planning to scout for wrestling talent in India, particularly from Punjab. "I am planning to open a wrestling academy and am looking for potential players. Those selected would be trained at the academy under my guidance,'' disclosed Tigerjeet, who wants to bring Indian wrestlers on the global scene.``In the near future, it would be India versus the World in the WWF arena,'' he said.Tigerjeet, 52, who is very proud of his rags to riches story, still follows a strict regimen. ``I spend two hours every day in the gym working out to keep fit. Without devotion and hard work, it is difficult to achieve one's goals,'' he says.A believer in simple living and high thinking, he says: ``There is no shortcut to fame. I always teach my son that without bhakti (devotion) you cannot achieve your goal''.
