Professional bodybuilder and Bollywood actor Varinder Singh Ghuman has died of cardiac arrest. He breathed his last at the age of 41. Ghuman was widely popular as a ‘Vegetarian Bodybuilder’. Ghuman was born in Gurdaspur, Punjab, and won the Mr India title in 2009.
He later finished runner-up in Mr Asia and established himself as one of India’s biggest names in professional bodybuilding. Arnold Schwarzenegger chose him as a brand ambassador to promote his products in Asia. According to a PTI report, Ghuman’s manager, Yadvinder Singh, revealed that the bodybuilder experienced acute shoulder pain and visited the hospital to get it checked, then he suffered a heart attack.
Ghuman’s commitment to vegetarianism set him apart. Ghuman was widely recognised as the world’s first vegetarian professional bodybuilder, and this achievement became a point of pride for India’s fitness community. He made his film debut in 2012 with “Kabaddi Once Again,” followed by appearances in “Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans (2014)” and “Marjaavaan (2019). In 2023, he appeared in “Tiger 3” alongside Salman Khan, which brought him further recognition.
Behind the scenes, Ghuman was a dedicated fitness enthusiast, regularly sharing workout routines and motivational posts with his followers. His Instagram community of over one million fans reflects the breadth of his influence. For many young fitness enthusiasts, he was not just a bodybuilder but a mentor who proved that ethical choices and athletic excellence could coexist.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu called Ghuman the “pride of Punjab” and termed his death an “irreparable loss for the country”. “Passing away of the pride of Punjab, ‘the He-Man of India’, Varinder Ghuman ji, is an irreparable loss for the country. He set new standards in the world of fitness with his hard work and vegetarian lifestyle. His life will always be a source of inspiration for the youth,” the BJP leader said on X.
Congress MP and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa credited Ghuman with bringing glory to Punjab. “It is heartbreaking to hear the news of the sudden demise of Punjab’s famous bodybuilder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman. He brought glory to Punjab with his hard work, discipline, and talent. May Waheguru grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family to bear this loss,” Randhawa said on X.
