The bodybuilding community is mourning the loss of Varinder Singh Ghuman, the Indian bodybuilder and actor known as "India's Arnold Schwarzenegger," who passed away at the age of 47. Ghuman reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest during a surgery at Fortis Hospital in Amritsar.
Ghuman had traveled to the hospital for treatment related to a minor shoulder injury. According to reports, he was expected to return home the same day. However, he suffered a cardiac arrest during the procedure around 5 p.m. and could not be revived.
Born in Gurdaspur, Punjab, Ghuman rose to prominence in the world of fitness and bodybuilding. He was widely recognized as the first vegetarian professional bodybuilder. Ghuman earned the Mr. India title in 2009 and was the runner-up at Mr. Asia. He was also the first Indian to earn an IFBB Pro card, marking India's entry into the global professional bodybuilding circuit.
In 2013, Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Ghuman as a brand ambassador to promote his fitness products in Asia. Schwarzenegger once described Ghuman as "an amazing talent" on social media.
Ghuman also had a career in the film industry. He debuted in the Punjabi film "Kabaddi Once Again" in 2012 and appeared in Bollywood films such as "Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans" (2014), "Marjaavaan" (2019), and "Tiger 3" (2023). In "Tiger 3," he played Shakeel, a Pakistani prison guard, alongside Salman Khan.
The news of Ghuman's death has been met with shock and grief. Tributes have poured in from fans, fellow bodybuilders, and political figures. Senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa expressed his sadness on X, acknowledging Ghuman's hard work and discipline that brought fame to Punjab.
Ghuman's death is the latest in a series of recent fatalities within the bodybuilding community, raising concerns about the potential heart-related risks associated with extreme training, supplement use, and performance pressure. In August 2024, Brazilian bodybuilder Antônio Souza died of cardiac arrest during a competition, and Belarusian bodybuilder Illia "The Mutant" Yefimchyk suffered a heart attack the following month.
Varinder Singh Ghuman's legacy as a bodybuilder, actor, and vegetarian icon will continue to inspire many. He was known for his dedication to fitness, his humility, and his advocacy for a vegetarian lifestyle.
