Manohar Aich facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | মনোহর আইচ |
| Nickname(s) | Pocket Hercules |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Bengali Hindu |
| Born | 17 March 1912 Comilla, Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Bangladesh) |
| Died | 5 June 2016 (aged 104) Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Occupation | Bodybuilder |
| Height | 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Spouse(s) | Jyutika Aich (1924–1925) |
Manohar Aich (Bengali: মনোহর আইচ) was a famous Indian bodybuilder. He was born on March 17, 1912, and passed away on June 5, 2016. He was the second Indian ever to win the Mr. Universe title. He won this big competition in 1952. Because he was only about 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 meters) tall, people called him "Pocket Hercules".
Contents
Early Life and Training
Manohar Aich loved sports that showed strength, like wrestling and weightlifting, from a young age. When he was 12, he got very sick with a fever. This made him weak, but he worked hard to get his strength back.
He started doing calisthenics exercises, which use your own body weight. These included push-ups, squats, pull-ups, and sit-ups. He would do up to 100 repetitions of each exercise! He went to the K. L. Jubilee School in Dhaka, Bangladesh. While at school, he also trained at the Ruplal Byayam Samiti. He even performed in shows called Physique and Magic with a magician named P. C. Sorcar. In these shows, he would do amazing feats like bending steel with his teeth or bending spears with his neck.
Becoming a Bodybuilder
Aich joined the Royal Air Force in 1942. This is where he really started to focus on bodybuilding. A British officer named Reub Martin taught him about weight training.
While in the Royal Air Force, Aich was put in jail for a short time. He had protested against some unfair comments made by an officer. While in jail, he trained even more seriously. He spent many hours exercising. The jail staff noticed how dedicated he was to physical fitness. They even gave him special food to help him with his training.
Winning Titles
In 1950, when he was 38 years old, Aich won the Mr. Hercules contest. This was a big achievement! The next year, in 1951, he came in second place in the Mr. Universe contest. Finally, in 1952, he won first place in the Pro-Short division of the NABBA Mr. Universe competition.
At the time he won Mr. Universe, his body measurements were very impressive:
- Biceps: 46 cm (about 18 inches)
- Chest: 1.2 meters (about 47 inches)
- Forearm: 36 cm (about 14 inches)
Manohar Aich's Body Measurements
Here are some of Manohar Aich's physical measurements:
- Height: 4 feet 11 inches
- Chest: 1.37 m (54 in) (4 ft. 6 in.)
- Waist: 58 cm (23 in)
- Hip: 106.68 cm (42.00 in)
- Thigh: 73.66 cm (29.00 in)
- Calves: 47 cm (19 in)
- Biceps: 45.72 cm (18.00 in) (1 ft. 6 in.)
- Forearms: 36 cm (14 in) (1 ft. 2 in.)
Later Life and Legacy
Manohar Aich also took part in politics. In 1991, he ran for election with the BJP. He came in third place, receiving over 163,000 votes. In 2015, he received the Banga Bibhushan Award from the Government of West Bengal. This award honors people who have made great contributions to the state.
In March 2012, Aich turned 100 years old! He said his good health came from a simple diet. He ate milk, fruits, vegetables, rice, lentils, and fish. He also believed in not letting stress bother him. He had two sons and two daughters. His sons run a gym and a fitness center. Manohar Aich helped out at the gym until he was very old.
Manohar Aich passed away on June 5, 2016, in Kolkata. He was 104 years old and left behind an amazing legacy as a strong and inspiring bodybuilder.
