An Indian who joined the Royal Indian Air Force in the early 1940s was expelled for slapping a senior British officer who had made unruly comments against India. At 4 feet 11 inches, a short Manohar Aich was not only court-martialed for the act but also put behind bars for protesting against colonial oppression.
But that is not what Aich is known for. He is remembered as the short but strong bodybuilder who won the Mr Universe title in 1952 at the age of 39. He was popularly known as ‘Pocket Hercules’ due to his height and strong physique.
Life had not been easy for him. In an interview with Dailymail, he said, “I never allow any sort of tension to grip me. I had to struggle to earn money since my young days, but whatever the situation, I remained happy.”
Time in jail
Born on 17 March 1913 in Putia village in the Comilla district of present-day Bangladesh, Aich could bend steel rods and tear a 1,000-page book in half as a teenager. To make ends meet, he worked at a circus for a long time, showing his muscular physique, and at times, he sold coconuts at the Sealdah railway station in Kolkata.
Manohar Aich was first introduced to weight training at the RAIF. When he was in jail, he spent idle time building his body. “In jail, I used to practice on my own, without any equipment, sometimes for 12 hours a day,” he said.
His dedication and strong will earned him a special diet in jail to support his workout sessions. He walked out of prison when India achieved independence in 1947.
With the worst behind him, Aich was set to create history. With a strong physique, a stunning chest, and V-cut abs, he participated in his maiden Mr Universe pageant in London in 1951, where he had to settle for the second position.
Failing to claim the top prize was enough to pull him back to London. He stayed in the city and trained for a year while working at British Railways to support his living. A year later in 1952, Aich created history by winning the Mr Universe title. In India, he received a hero’s welcome, gaining appreciation from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Rajendra Prasad. Several more laurels followed in the years to come, including top positions at premium Asian bodybuilding championships.
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Life as coach
Among Manohar Aich’s many achievements, his three Asian championship gold medals – won in 1951 in New Delhi, in 1954 in Manila, and in 1958 in Tokyo — stand out. However, he couldn’t win the Mr Universe contest again despite participating a few more times.
Aich was a believer in a simple diet and never consumed alcohol or smoked. He depended on milk, fish, lentils, vegetables, and fruits for good health. His diet and ‘no-tension’ formula were his secrets to a long life.
The bodybuilder also tried his hand at politics, but unsuccessfully so. In 1991, he contested West Bengal assembly elections with a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, only to lose in the Lok Sabha election.
In his later years, Manohar Aich dedicated himself to tutoring the younger generation and opened a gym in Kolkata. He wasn’t an easy-going coach and once said, “If you skipped any workout, you’d get a thappar (slap).”
In his role as a coach, Aich gave India a few more champions. Among them were Satya Paul, eight-time national champion and 1998 Mr Universe Premchand Dogra.
Manohar Aich lived a simple life that had its share of hardships. But his passion and dedication took him to the global stage and allowed him to break all barriers. ‘Pocket Hercules’ is still remembered as a pioneer of weight training in India. He passed away on 5 June 2016 at the age of 103 at his residence in Dum Dum, Kolkata.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)
Source: The Print
