SIALKOT: The Sialkot-based international wrestler Mohammad Riaz Butt alias Raju Rocket Pehalwan died of cardiac arrest here on Friday evening. He was 86.

Riaz, who had been suffering from heart problems for the last couple of years, breathed his last at a local hospital here after suffering from a heart attack. He will be laid to rest in his native graveyard at Sialkot on Saturday.

Riaz had ruled the world of the wrestling in Pakistan for 55 consecutive years and upheld the country’s prestige in various top level tournaments.

A hefty, well-built man he often challenged the Indian wrestlers of his time who remained reluctant to fight with him. His name was enough to bring a large number of people to the local wrestling arenas and he had a fair command on the tricks of the trade.

Riaz fought more than 800 bouts after being groomed by his mentor Sardar Pehalwan. In Pakistan, he successfully clinched events at Lahore, Multan, Sialkot and Gujranwala and won also international bouts in India and Kuwait.

He was conferred several prestigious awards including Tamgha-eHilal-e-Istaqlal and was dubbed as Sher-e-Punjab, Rustam-e-Multan, Rustam-e-Lahore and Rustam-e-Sialkot.

Recently, Riaz had been living a miserable life and was unable to earn a decent living. The recent demolition of his ‘akhada’ by the district administration of Sialkot was perhaps the last straw. He unsuccessfully sought the government’s patronage for the promotion of the art of wrestling and was willing to train young wrestlers but the support never came.

According to his family, ‘Raju Rocket’ on his visit to India in 1985, had turned down the offer from then Indian sports minister to establish a wrestling training institute under his name at Kolhapur.

Riaz had two favourite young wrestlers as his students namely Pappu Bhara Pehalwan (Bahawalpur) and Javaid Pehalwan (Sialkot) who also earned a name for themselves by winning several local competitions.

Riaz is survived by four sons and three daughters.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2016