A pedagogue of bodybuilders

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Hoshiarpur, September 25

Call it mere coincidence or destiny, Padma Shri awardee Prem Chand Degra (64), was born to become a bodybuilder.

Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Degra is considered as a pedagogue, who has touched lives of many athletes and bodybuilders.

Even at this age, he never forgets to hit the gym and lift weights. Owing to his achievements, he was awarded Padma Shri in 1990, Arjun Award in 1988 and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award in 1994.

Degra said after the Partition, his family settled in Gurdaspur, without his father. He said to get out of shock, he started wrestling. His muscular built, made him popular as a ‘desi’ wrestler. He used to do 2,000 push ups and squats and run for around 15 km daily. Even though, he won various medals at a young age, he wanted to get a job for himself, so as to get his family out of the clutches of poverty. Subsequently, he joined the Punjab Police in 1975.

In 1980, his schoolteacher saw him at a wrestling ground (akahda), and asked him to do professional bodybuilding. Degra held his mentor’s hand and participated in the north India-level body building auditions. Surprisingly, without any preparation, he ranked first.

He said it was August 14,1980 when the bug of bodybuilding bit him. He worked hard to mould his body into a better muscular delight.

Ghee (clarified butter), milk, exercise, fruits and every food item available became a part of his daily routine. His efforts fetched him the title of the ‘State Champion’.

Kicking off his international career, he first clinched Mr Asia 1983 (Lahore, Pakistan), Mr Asia 1984 (Seoul, South Korea), Mr Asia 1985 (Singapore), Mr Asia 1986 (Taipei, Taiwan), Mr Asia 1987 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), gold in Pro-Am Classic 1990 and 1991 (Singapore) and Mr Asia 1996 (New Delhi, India). In addition to these titles, he also won the ‘Mr India’ title nine times in a row.

Degra stuck to middle-weight class in all the appearances. He first competed for the World title in 1984 in Las Vegas, where he finished 14th. He moved up to 4th position in 1985 in Sweden and was named the ‘Most Improved Bodybuilder’ of the year. He won a silver medal in Tokyo in 1986 and was again placed 4th in Madrid in 1987.

The high point came in 1988 when in Queensland in Australia, he won a gold in middle-weight class and was crowned ‘Mr Universe ‘in 1988. At this point, Degra was working out for eight hours and used to eat eight vegetarian meals throughout the day.

To follow his passion, he left his job in 1984 as an Assistant Sub-Inspector.

Degra said, “Mr Universe title in 1988 was a life changing moment. Americans used to appreciate and criticise at the same time and used to say, how a man from a poor country like India won the prestigious title, with dope-negative reports. I was even called to America to train athletes, but I chose to stay in my country and represent India.”

Currently serving as executive vice-president of the India Body Building Federation (IBBF), Degra trains budding bodybuilders and counsel them about steroid abuse. He runs ‘World 88 Gym’ near his residence on Sutehri Road in Hoshiarpur.

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