Vasantrao Kaptan, born on February 5, 1905, in Vadodara, was a dedicated champion of physical education. He founded and led the ‘Gujarat Krida Mandal’ in Vadodara and served as the Physical Education Officer at Sardar Patel University (Vallabh Vidyanagar) from 1951 to 1963. Hailing from a Maharashtrian family, with his father Balwantrao and mother Radhikabai, he was a student of Tatyasaheb Sahastrabuddhe and excelled as a wrestler following the traditions of Narayan Guru. His participation in wrestling matches at Deccan Gymkhana in Pune and Hind(u) Vijay Gymkhana in Vadodara brought him considerable acclaim.
Later in life, he pursued advanced studies at Springfield College in the United States, where he obtained a postgraduate degree in physical education. He established the ‘Gujarat Krida Mandal’ in Vadodara, an institution that achieved notable success in promoting traditional Indian sports nationwide. He also published a monthly magazine called ‘Kaptan’. He has also documented illustrated information about foreign sports in Vyayam Gyankosh. Vasantrao trained approximately 200-300 students in local and foreign sports every evening at Gujarat Kreeda Mandal. His wrestling style is particularly spectacular, and he often defeated opponents who were stronger than him with apparent ease. Despite various challenges, he attended the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, Wembley in London in 1948, and Mexico in 1966, where he closely observed the events and integrated many valuable insights into his work.
Throughout his life, he remained single and significantly contributed to the advancement and promotion of traditional exercise and sports. His existence was a unique fusion of physical education and spirituality, aligning with Indian ideals. He was also celebrated for his poignant musical renditions of the Ramayana. Following his passing on September 25, 1974, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation honored him by renaming the road from Kirti Stambh to Polo Ground as ‘Vasantrao Kaptan Road’ or famously known as ‘V.K. Marg’.
Source: Gujarati Vishwa Kosh (Chinubhai Shah) & Vyayam Gyan Kosh
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