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{{short description|Indian rower (born 1991)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Dattu Baban Bhokanal
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Dattu Bhokanal with Shiv Chhatrapati Award.jpg
| caption = Dattu Bhokanal with [[Shiv Chhatrapati Award]] by Government of Maharashtra
| nationality =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|04|05}}
| birth_place = Talegaon Rohi Tal: Chandwad, Dist: [[Nashik, Maharastra]], [[India]]
| height = 6 ft 2 in
| weight = 179 lbs
| sport = [[Rowing (sport)|Rowing]]
| country = {{IND}}
| olympics =
| highestranking = World's 13th Rank
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Rowing (sport)|Rowing]]}}
{{MedalCount | total = yes
| [[Senior National Championship]] | 4 | - | -
| [[Asian Rowing Championship]] | - | 1 | -
| [[FISA Asia Oceania Olympic Qualifier]] | - | 1 | -
| [[American National Championship|Americal National Championship]] | 1 | - | -
| [[Indoor National Championship]] | 1 | - | -
| [[Asian Games]] | 1 | - | -
}}
{{Medal|Competition|Senior National Championship}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2014 Senior National Championships|2014 Pune]]|[[2014 Senior National Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2014 Senior National Championships|2014 Pune]]|[[2014 Senior National Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2017 Senior National Championship|2017 Pune]]|[[2016 Senior National Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2017 Senior National Championship|2017 Pune]]|[[2016 Senior National Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|Asian Rowing Championship}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2015 Asian Rowing Championship|2015 Beijing]]|[[2015 Asian Rowing Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|FISA Asia Oceania Olympic Qualifier}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2016 FISA Asia Oceania Olympic Qualifier|2016 Chungju]]|[[2015 FISA Asia Oceania Olympic Qualifier – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|American National Championship}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2016 American National Championship|2016 Cincinnati]]|[[2016 American National Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|Indoor National Championship}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2017 Indoor National Championship|2017 Pune]]|[[2017 Indoor National Championship – Men's Single Sculls|Men's Single Sculls]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Asian Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2018 Asian Games|2018 Jakarta]]|[[2018 Asian Games - Men's Quadruple Sculls|Men's Quadruple sculls]]}}
| show-medals = yes
| module = {{Infobox military person
| embed = yes
| allegiance = {{Flag|India}}
| branch = {{Army|India}}
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[File:Naib Subedar - Naib Risaldar of the Indian Army.svg|25px]] [[Naib Subedar]]
| unit =
| awards =
}}
}}
'''Dattu Bhokanal''' is an Indian rower and an [[Indian Army]] [[Junior commissioned officer|Junior Commissioned Officer]] (JCO) who was qualified for the [[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.olympic.ind.in/images/Athletes-qualified-India-Rio-2016.pdf|title=Indian Olympic Association Link|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=12 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812095103/http://www.olympic.ind.in/images/Athletes-qualified-India-Rio-2016.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/rio-olympics-2016-qualification-indian-rower-dattu-bhokanal-braves-odds-to-qualify/article8555658.ece|title=It was a hard row to hoe for him to reach Rio|date=2016-05-04|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=2016-06-24}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/india-s-rioolympics-rower-dattu-baban-bhokanal-comes-from-a-village-without-water-254076.html|title=India's #RioOlympics Rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal Comes From A Village Without Water|date=26 April 2016|access-date=2016-06-24}}</ref> He was qualified for the Olympics after winning a silver medal in the men's single sculls event at the FISA Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta at Chung-Ju, South Korea where he clocked 7 minutes and 07.63 seconds.<ref name=":0" /> He is the only Indian rower to qualify for the [[2016 Summer Olympics|Rio Olympics]] and is only the ninth rower to represent [[India]] in the [[Olympic Games|Olympics]]. He won the gold medal in the [[2018 Asian Games]] in [[Rowing at the 2018 Asian Games|Men's Quadruple sculls]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/asian-games/asian-games-indian-rowers-claim-gold-2-bronze-medals/articleshow/65525236.cms | title=Asian Games: Indian rowers claim 1 gold, 2 bronze medals | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=24 August 2018 | accessdate=24 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/sports/indian-rowers-claim-gold-2-bronze-medals/articleshow/65524974.cms | title=Indian rowers claim gold, 2 bronze medals | newspaper=[[The Economic Times]] | date=24 August 2018 | accessdate=24 August 2018}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Dattu was born in 1991.

Dattu's family could hardly meet both the ends with parents' meager earning as daily wage laborers.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Sumnima Udas|title=Rowing from a drought-stricken Indian village to Rio De Janeiro|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/21/sport/india-olympics-drought-rower-dattu-bokhanal/index.html|access-date=2020-10-17|website=CNN|date=21 July 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gupta|first=Deepak|date=2016-08-10|title=Shobhaa De, have you heard the story about the Olympian Dattu Bhokanal? Because, you should!|url=https://www.india.com/news/india/olympian-dattu-bhokanal-shobhaa-de-rio-olympics-tweet-1397919/|access-date=2020-10-17|website=India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}</ref> Hence, he dropped off the school in 2007 to do all kinds of odd jobs such as masonry, waiter in the wedding parties, helper on the farms, as a driver on tractors, earth movers, and other transportation vehicles.<ref name="youtube.com">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/6f3xz8ALoQc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201022163210/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f3xz8ALoQc Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f3xz8ALoQc| title = Dattu Bhokanal Josh Talks #Dattu_Bhokanal #ArjunaAwardee #Olympian | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/how-indias-rowing-star-dattu-bhokanal-overcame-poverty-win-gold-asiad-88105|title = How India's rowing-star Dattu Bhokanal overcame poverty to win gold at Asiad|date = 10 September 2018}}</ref> He started helping his father in well-digging work since 5th grade<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/sgd4DnKhBlg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201106204447/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgd4DnKhBlg Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgd4DnKhBlg| title = INDIA's Rowing Hero {{!}} Dattu Bhokanal | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and in fact, that hard work helped him to build his stamina and strong arms required in rowing. At some point of time Dattu had also decided to become a well-digger.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/rowing/rowing-in-rough-weather-dattu-bhokanal-olympic-gold|title = Rowing in rough weather: Dattu Bhokanal's quest for Olympic gold| date=22 September 2017 }}</ref> He used to work at a petrol pump at night and on the farm in the day time to support his family. He went back to school in 2010 to complete his 10th grade. However, he could not continue his education because of untimely death of his father in 2011. Dattu's father died due to bone cancer. After demise of his father, being the eldest in the family he needed a permanent job to support his family. In 2012, Dattu cleared all physical tests at the Indian Army's open recruitment drive in [[Beed]] district and got selected in the [[Indian Army]] as Havaldar.{{fact|date=September 2022}}

Shortly before his planned departure for FISA Asia Oceania Olympic Qualifier in South Korea in 2016, his mother suffered brain damage in a fall resulting in almost total amnesia which ultimately resulted in her death.<ref name="youtube.com"/> Dattu was the sole rower representing India in 2016 [[Rio Olympic Velodrome|Rio Olympic]] games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/athlete/47540/bhokanal-dattu |title=Dattu BHOKANAL - worldrowing.com |website=www.worldrowing.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808104616/http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/athlete/47540/bhokanal-dattu |archive-date=2016-08-08}}</ref>

Today Dattu is India's one of the top rowers. But ironically he grew up in a region where scarcity of water and dry drought is a normal phenomenon.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dattu Bhokanal goes from drought-stricken India village to rowing at Rio Olympics|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/dattu-bhokanal-goes-from-drought-stricken-india-village-to-rowing-at-rio-olympics-1.652302|access-date=2020-10-17|website=The National|language=en}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/xPuJwwSUI_s Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201107032132/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPuJwwSUI_s Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPuJwwSUI_s| title = Dattu Bhokanal, India's only rower to qualify for 2016 Olympics | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In fact, in his childhood Dattu was terrified of waterbodies which he confessed in his interview with [[Virender Sehwag]].<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/ojFICbkO73E Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201020015828/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojFICbkO73E Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojFICbkO73E| title = #UmeedIndia Episode 7 With Dattu Bhokanal {{!}} EPIC Channel - Preview | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Dattu has been named in the Forbes 30-under-30 list in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Dattu Bhokanal Overcame Grief And Fear To Earn His Stripes As An Olympic Rower|url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/30-under-30-2017/how-dattu-bhokanal-overcame-grief-and-fear-to-earn-his-stripes-as-an-olympic-rower/45863/1|access-date=2020-10-17|website=Forbes India|language=en}}</ref> Dr. Santosh Khedalekar wrote the biography of Dattu in Marathi "Dattu-The Rowing Man".{{fact|date=September 2022}}

== Rowing career ==
He started [[Rowing (sport)|rowing]] in 2012 at the Bombay Engineer Group & Centre (Khadki) Centre in [[Pune]]. In 2013, he shifted to Army Rowing Node (ARN), Pune for better training. His first coach was Kudrat Ali. Now he is being trained under [[Dronacharya Award|Dronacharya]] Awardee and chief National rowing coach Ismail Baig at the ARN, Pune.

Dattu was the lone Indian rower to be qualified after winning a silver medal in the men's single sculls event at the FISA Asian and Oceania Olympic qualification regatta held at Chung-Ju in South Korea in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/india-rower-dattu-bhokanal-qualifies-for-rio-olympics-2016-2769488/#:~:text=Indian%20rower%20Dattu%20Bhokanal%20on,Chung%2Dju%20in%20South%20Korea.&text=The%20top%20seven%20in%20the%20finals%20qualified%20for%20the%20Rio%20Games|title=India rower Dattu Bhokanal qualifies for Rio Olympics 2016|date=25 April 2016}}</ref> He clocked 7 Minutes and 7.63 Seconds to complete the 2 km course to finish second.

In [[2016 Summer Olympics|Rio Olympics]] 2016, Dattu secured 13th position by clocking 6 minutes and 54.96 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-03-09|title=Rio 2016 single sculls (1x) men - Olympic Rowing|url=https://www.olympic.org/rio-2016/rowing/single-sculls-1x-men|access-date=2020-10-17|website=International Olympic Committee|language=en}}</ref> In the same year, Dattu won Gold medal at American National Championship at [[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]], USA. Dattu Bhokanal won gold medal in quadruple sculls at Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang 2018 with timing 6 Minutes and 17.13 Seconds.

Dattu has been awarded [[Arjuna Award]] by the [[Government of India]] in 2020 for his achievements in the sport of rowing.<ref>{{Cite web|title='A proud moment for me', says Rower Dattu Bhokanal on winning Arjuna Award {{!}} Sports-Games|url=https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/sports-games/1189239-a-proud-moment-for-me-says-rower-dattu-bhokanal-on-winning-arjuna-award|access-date=2020-10-17|website=Devdiscourse|language=en}}</ref>

== Achievements ==

=== Senior National Championship ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2014
|Pune
|Men's Single Sculls
|7:26 min
|'''Gold'''
|2
|-
|2017
|Pune
|Men's Single Sculls
|
|'''Gold'''
|2
|}

=== Asian Games ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
|-
|2014
|Incheon
|Men's Double Sculls
|6:47 min
|'''5th'''
|}

=== Asian Rowing Championship ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2015
|Beijing
|Men's Single Sculls
|7:18 min
|'''Silver'''
|1
|}

=== FISA Asia Oceania Olympic Qualifier ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2016
|Chungju
|Men's Single Sculls
|7:07 min
|'''Silver'''
|1
|}

=== American National Championship ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2016
|Cincinnati
|Men's Single Sculls
|7:04 min
|'''Gold'''
|1
|}

=== Rio Olympics ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2016
|Rio de Janeiro
|Men's Single Sculls
|6:54.96 min
|13th<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-03-09|title=Rio 2016 single sculls (1x) men - Olympic Rowing|url=https://www.olympic.org/rio-2016/rowing/single-sculls-1x-men|access-date=2020-10-18|website=International Olympic Committee|language=en}}</ref>
|
|}

=== Indoor National Championship ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venune
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2017
|Pune
|Men's Single Sculls
|6:32 min
|'''Gold'''
|1
|}

=== Asian Games ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Venue
!Competition
!Time
!Result
!Won
|-
|2018
|Jakarta
|Men's Quadruple Sculls
|6:17 min
|'''Gold'''
|1
|-
|2018
|Jakarta
|Men's Single Sculls
|7:47 min
|'''5th'''
|
|}

== Awards ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Award
!Awarded By
|-
|2016
|Best Player & Rising Star
|[[Rowing Federation of India]]
|-
|2017
|Honored in the 30 Under 30 list
|[[Forbes|Forbes Magazine]]
|-
|2017
|Times of India Best Player
|[[The Times Group|Times of India Group]]
|-
|2017
|[[Shiv Chhatrapati Award]]
|[[Government of Maharashtra]]
|-
|2020
|[[Arjuna Award]]
|[[Government of India]]
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhokanal, Dattu Baban}}
[[Category:1991 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Rowers at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Indian male rowers]]
[[Category:Olympic rowers for India]]
[[Category:Rowers at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Rowers at the 2018 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2018 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in rowing]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen]]

Dattu Bhokanal - Revision history

LarhondaG28: Starting Some Page Basic Info!