Awards and honours
He received the Arjuna Award in 2015, and the Padma Shri and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2019.
Later career and suspension
In April 2024 the National Anti-Doping Agency suspended him for refusing to give a urine sample during selection trials for the 2024 Olympic qualifiers. The United World Wrestling federation later also suspended him, and he has challenged the suspension in court.
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- Secured his defining career breakthrough by capturing the bronze medal in the 65 kg freestyle wrestling category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
- Cemented his elite status with prestigious accolades including the Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2019, alongside gold medals at both the 2018 Asian Games and multiple Commonwealth Games.
- Transitioned into politics in late 2024 by joining the Indian National Congress and assuming the role of Working President of the All India Kisan Congress following his athletic suspension.
In September 2024 he joined the Indian National Congress, and in October 2024 he was named Working President of the All India Kisan Congress. He resigned from his Indian Railways post in September 2024.
