Who was Varinder Singh Ghuman ? World's first vegetarian body builder who brought glory to India
PTC News Desk: Varinder Singh Ghuman, Punjab's renowned body builder known for his towering physique passed away in Amritsar on Thursday. He breathed his last at the age of 53 at a private hospital in Amritsar where he was undergoing treatment for shoulder fracture.
Ghuman was a familiar figure in both the bodybuilding and entertainment worlds. His death has come as a shock to many who followed his journey from his early days as a champion bodybuilder to his later roles in film.
He won the Mr. India title in 2009 and became runner up at Mr Asia establishing himself as a prominent figure in Indian body building fraternity. He rose to fame when he was chosen by Arnold Schwarzenegger to represent his products in Asia. Schwarzenegger later described Ghuman as "an amazing talent" on social media.
In an earlier interview he shared, "It was during a visit to Spain for a competition for the Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Championship that I got to meet the star. I was a top ranker at the event and Arnold was enthralled to see my body and that I was the tallest bodybuilder from India."
Apart from bodybuilding, Ghuman also made a name for himself in the film industry. He played the lead role in the Punjabi movie Kabaddi Once Again (2012) and later stepped into Bollywood with Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans (2014). He went on to feature in several Hindi films, including Marjaavaan (2019).
His most recent appearance was in Tiger 3, where he portrayed Shakeel, a Pakistani prison guard, alongside Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. The film, directed by Maneesh Sharma, is part of the YRF Spy Universe that also includes Pathaan and War, and was released in November 2023.
Notably, Ghuman had also announced to contest 2027 Punjab Assembly elections and pledged to make Punjab drugs-free. However he was not associated with any political party.
Ghuman was widely recognized for his commitment to a vegan lifestyle—an uncommon choice in the bodybuilding world—and frequently advocated for its health benefits.
- PTC NEWS
