Kodi Rammurthy Naidu

Kodi Ramamurthy Naidu(Telugu: కోడి రామమూర్తి నాయుడు)(1882–1942), known as Kodi Ramamurthy, was an Indian bodybuilder who earned enormous respect for India.

Biography

Naidu was born in Veeraghattam in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. He was called "Kaliyuga Bheema". This great bodybuilder performed impressive feats like stopping a car at high acceleration, breaking iron chains and holding an elephant leg on his chest, as well as juggling elephant babies with weights attached to them.

King George and Queen Mary called him the "Indian Hercules" after watching his display of physical strength at Buckingham Palace.

Rammurthy joined a fitness centre in Vizianagaram and learnt wrestling. His uncle Kodi Narayana Swamy, a Police Inspector sent him to a fitness centre in Madras. He returned to Vizianagaram after one year training and joined as a physical training instructor at the high school.

He started a circus company. His feats attracted people all over the country. He used to break an iron chain tied to his body by taking a deep breath and flexing his muscles. Iron chains would be tied to his shoulders and the other ends were tied to two cars and used to stop them. He took an elephant on his chest and held it for five minutes.

He demonstrated his skills at the Indian National Congress meeting in Allahabad. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya encouraged him to perform his feats abroad and sent his team to London.

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