India's first Mr.Universe

A day after Muhammed Ali died; in India too there was one death, which unfortunately passed unnoticed. Manohar Aich. Have you ever heard of him? Unlikely but he was far away from the media glare and like most achievers, often neglected.

He was the first ever Mr.Universe from India and died at the ripe old-age of 104 years. He was a coconut vendor by profession and in 1952, he won the coveted Mr. Universe title. He was nicknamed “Pocket Hercules” on account of his height – he was just 4 feet 11 inch.

He joined the Royal Indian Air Force in 1942 as a physical instructor and he was put in jail for slapping a British officer, who made an offensive remark against Indians. Later he had worked in the British Railways, which helped him in realising his dream. In 1991, he contested Lok Sabha elections for the BJP but finished third after collecting 1.63 lakh votes. He is survived by two sons and two daughters. His sons run a gym and a fitness centre.

There are so many stories like these in India, so many unsung heroes. It is all a matter of good fortune, if a person captures the imagination of the media and then the public, only then does an achiever become a celebrity. Or else he just disappears into the oblivion….