Gulam began his professional career in 1878 in Jodhpur, winning his debut match against Mullah Handa (Mohammad Ali Pahelwan).[1] He subsequently secured victories against prominent wrestlers of the time, including Feroz Pahelwan and Chirag Ali, in 1880.[1]
After accumulating wealth and fame in Jodhpur, Gulam returned to Amritsar to establish his own akhara (training center). He engaged in a notable rivalry with Kikkar Singh, a wrestler known for his massive size. Their first encounter took place in Amritsar in 1886, where Gulam emerged victorious. They met again a month later in Jammu, where Kikkar Singh was the champion of the Maharaja of Kashmir. Gulam wagered 100,000 rupees on the match and defeated Singh for the second time.[1]
The two rivals faced each other three more times. Two matches held at Shahdera Serai near Lahore ended in draws; in the first of these (1895), Gulam suffered severe finger injuries which prevented him from continuing. However, in a subsequent match held before the Maharaja of Jodhpur, Gulam won decisively.[1]
In 1898, the Maharaja Rajendra Singh of Patiala invited Gulam to wrestle Shah Nawaz Nanniwala. Gulam won the bout, further cementing his reputation.[1]
In 1900, Gulam travelled to France to compete at the Paris Exposition.[2] There, he faced a Turkish heavyweight known as Cour-Derelli (also identified as Qadir Ali), who stood 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed approximately 320 pounds.[1][2]
According to French wrestling historian Edmond Desbonnet, Gulam displayed "crushing superiority" despite wrestling with a sprained left arm.[2] Gulam threw his opponent with a "flying mare" maneuver, but the throw was not officially recognized due to disputes involving betting interests. Following this, the Turkish wrestler adopted a defensive strategy, lying flat on the mat for an hour and a half to avoid being thrown again. Gulam eventually kicked his opponent in frustration. To protect the financial interests of the bettors, the match was declared a win for Gulam, but all bets were cancelled.[2][1]
Dr. Krajewski, a mentor to the famous wrestler George Hackenschmidt, examined Gulam in Paris. Impressed by his physique and skill, Krajewski remarked that no wrestler in the world could last five minutes against Gulam in a fair contest.[2][1]
Some accounts, such as that by S. Muzumdar, suggest that Motilal Nehru may have accompanied Gulam to Europe, though Muzumdar's recollection of the match details contradicts contemporary French accounts.[2]
