Dalip Singh Rana
FinalistDalip Singh Rana
Bio
Dalip Singh Rana, known worldwide as The Great Khali, is an Indian-American former professional wrestler, actor, entrepreneur, and politician born on 27 August 1972 in Dhiraina village, Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh, to Jwala Ram and Tandi Devi — one of seven siblings in a poor family. He suffered from acromegaly — a condition caused by excess growth hormone — which resulted in his towering height of over 7 feet. He worked as a roadside labourer and security guard before being recruited into the Punjab State Police, where he served until the late 1990s. He was discovered by a US trainer and relocated to California for professional wrestling training with All Pro Wrestling (APW) in 2000. He competed in APW, WCW, NJPW, and other promotions before signing with WWE in 2006. He made a sensational debut by squashing The Undertaker in his first WWE match, and went on to high-profile feuds with The Undertaker, John Cena, Batista, and Triple H. He became the first Indian-born world champion in WWE history by winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Vengeance: Night of Champions (2007). He was released by WWE in 2014 and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021. He appeared in Hollywood films including The Longest Yard (2005, with Adam Sandler) and Get Smart (2008, with Steve Carell). In 2015, he founded Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE) in Jalandhar, Punjab, India's first professional wrestling school, training hundreds of aspiring wrestlers. He joined the BJP in 2022 and is involved in political activities in Himachal Pradesh. He is married to Harminder Kaur (m. 2002) and has two daughters. He entered Bigg Boss 4 in October 2010 as a wildcard contestant in Week 2 and became an instant fan favourite for his gentle, good-natured personality — a sharp contrast to his fearsome ring persona. He finished as first runner-up on 8 January 2011.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion (2007) — first Indian-born world champion in WWE history; ring name 'The Great Khali'; inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame (2021); founding Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE) in Jalandhar, Punjab (2015); appearances in Hollywood films The Longest Yard (2005) and Get Smart (2008); first runner-up of Bigg Boss 4.