The Kushti Fighters of Dubai
Hailing from a 3,000-year heritage spanning India, Pakistan and Iran, Kushti fighters traditionally adhere to strict training programmes. Mohamed Shahed is a 23-year-old Kushti fighter from Pakistan who is currently working in Dubai as a labourer, sending most of his meagre daily wages of $16 back home to his wife and three children. Shahed comes from a long lineage of fighters – his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all practised Kushti fighters. His now-deceased father dreamed of Shahed becoming a famous fighter and making their family proud.