Vladimir Mestvirishvili, the Georgian wrestling coach credited with laying the foundation for India’s modern-day wrestling dominance, passed away on Monday, aged 69. Mestvirishvili's contribution to Indian wrestling is monumental. A former coach of the Soviet-era Georgian national team between 1982 and 1992, he mentored multiple Olympic, World, and European champions before bringing his expertise to India in 2003. 

Mestvirishvili played a pivotal role in shaping both Sushil and Yogeshwar during their formative years. Under his guidance, both wrestlers made it to the 2004 Athens Olympics, marking the start of India's serious push in international freestyle wrestling. In all, he guided four Indian wrestlers to Olympic medals.

After over a decade with the Indian national team, Mestvirishvili parted ways with the setup in 2017. However, his passion for Indian wrestling didn’t fade. He was brought back by Sushil Kumar to Chhatrasal Stadium, the cradle of Indian wrestling in Delhi.