The two strongmen from the opposing Punjab provinces on either side of the India-Pakistan border bonded over their similar tastes in music, culture, and language.
Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt, 25, of Pakistan, searched the area for India’s Gurdeep Singh, the bronze medalist, after his record-breaking overall lift of 405 kg in the 109 kg+ category at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It was buddies who wanted to share their moment of glory rather than the Pakistani athlete who had just won the nation’s first gold medal at these Games.
Much later, away from the prying eyes of the media, the two would celebrate into the night while listening to their favourite Sidhu Moosewala tunes.
The two strongmen from the two Punjabs on either side of the India-Pakistan border bonded while competing against each other on the world circuit because they shared a similar taste in music, as well as a common culture and mother tongue.
The lifters Nooh in Pakistan’s Gujranwala and Gurdeep in Majri Rasulra hamlet in the Khanna district have a long history together. They were both born 250 kilometres apart. Since their junior year of high school, they may have been competing with each other to outlift the other, but they haven’t let it ruin their friendship.
Gurdeep and I have a great friendship. I immediately congratulated Gurdeep when he won the gold, and then we had a small celebration and danced to Moosewala’s songs, Nooh from Birmingham tells
Gurdeep agreed and said the same thing. “I initially met Nooh at a junior tournament six years ago, and we would exchange dietary advice. Obviously, speaking Punjabi strengthened our friendship, he remarked.
They keep in touch even when they are not competing. similar to how a worried Nooh called Gurdeep in May of this year.
“When I heard about Sidhu Moosewala’s passing, I messaged Gurdeep to get his confirmation. I played songs like Jatt Da Muqabla and the recently released Song 295 to set the tempo for my training at my home gym, where I work out, says Nooh, who comes from a family of weightlifters.
Nooh grew up hearing tales from his father, Ghulam Dastgir Butt, a 16-time national champion of Pakistan, about his trips throughout the world and the relationships he made in a place they were led to believe was hostile territory.
He frequently referred to India as a friendly country where Pakistani players were always welcomed with open arms. It didn’t fit the media’s more popular narrative of animosity between the two countries, which have fought numerous wars since Partition.
Anamika 
Harsh