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Billy Robinson and Others
At the time of writing, brand new and original research, it’s now 2026 and I have found Billy Robinson in India during 1962 and 1964. After all this time we now have some record of what Billy did out there.
I wrote before about Madras and some of these wrestlers can also be found on those Madras moments. Ahmedabad is over 1000 miles from Madras.
All the matches were in the Vallabhbhai Stadium. The exact history of the stadium is clouded with changes, an outdoor venue that later had an indoor 5,000 seater built on it’s site. Today it’s an outdoor cricket ground that can host 130,000.
Back in the sixties I understand the capacity was 40,000-50,000. How they liked their cricket and occasional Wrestling.
By population Ahmedabad, in the west of India, is the sixth largest city.
The Bombay Wresting Association ran the shows that I talk about.
Bombay was about 400 miles from Ahmedabad.
The season was to run March until the end of May, and the opening show was on 9th March in 1962. Dara Singh beats New Zealander Al Rodgoa that day. A name we saw in Britain, John DaSilva, beat Swaran Singh.
The debut of Bill Robinson came on the 16th March against Kishanlal Pandah. Billy handled the guy majestically, dominating and won 2-1, and was applauded for his range of skills. The United Kingdom’s Prince Kumali was also on this bill, beating Superman.
However on the 20th Billy came up against Dara Singh, and before the largest crowd so far they really entertained the fans. Robinson no doubt had to sell Dara Singh a 2-1.
The 23rd was a rest for Robinson but familiar names DaSilva and Kumali were on the show. There was another show the next night with Lofty Binnie and also the UK’s Sitting Bull. Binnie I had picked up in Madras in January.
27th March 1962, Robinson and DaSilva drew with Randhawa and Tiger Joginder. This match went a full hour to provide great entertainment.
The month finished on the 30th with Billy and Randhawa going to a draw. Top of the bill was Dara Singh and Kumali, which was described as a tame draw.
Putting it all in context, the last match I have Robinson down for in the UK before this was 23rd February 1962 at Leicester with Gwyn Davies.
I can’t offer anything for April 1962 but have the full itinerary for May 62.
1st May kicks off with Dara Singh beating Lofty Binnie and well known names such as Kumali and Sitting Bull were on the bill. The Bull so active in India was actually Ben Wotijeski, well known on the English Indy circuit as Sitting Bull and Thunderbird.
On the 4th May Robinson dominated Dara Singh for five of the six rounds but could not get going again after an Indian Death Lock and was retired. It was a super display by Billy technically. Kumali and Sitting Bull were on the bill and Maruti Vadar who came to England in 1969. There are results to follow.
On the 8th May Billy beat Tiger Joginder 2-1 and also fought an Indian style bout against Teja Singh which he also won. Apollon, Kumali and DaSilva were all on this show.
On the 11th May Ray Apollon held Dara Singh and Robinson held Randhawa. The pecking order for the Indians was probably Dara, Randhawa and Joginder. Kumali went to a defeat. A great display of science again from Robinson.
On the 15th May Dara Singh and Randhawa, advertised as brothers, fought Apollon and Kumali, who were advertised as cousins. For sure The Indian promoters liked big men for their shows and these non Indian black guys really lit up the roster. This tag match was a good value 60 minute draw.
The main write up featured Billy versus DaSilva and it was a block buster. The match went all the way with Billy retaliating in the last round and getting himself disqualified. On the apron Billy was slapped by a fan and the crowd got excited. The police had to intervene. Great theatre of course, Billy got on the Mic and challenged DaSilva to a rematch.
On the 18th May Robinson beat Vasant Singh. Chief Meretana who was in England in the early 1960’s was on the bill. Kumali and Apollon were in tag again. It was a real International effort.
22nd May and Billy v Randhawa was a double ko, but forty minutes of effort went in. DaSilva, Apollon, Kumali and Meretana really put some panache into this show.
The final day of the season seems to be 29th May with Dara Singh against a Killer Dara Singh. Of course Dara Singh never seems to get defeated and won. Apollon and DaSilva were on this bill but it looks to me as though Billy Robinson has now moved on.
In August, 1962 Billy Robinson was in Germany and in September back in England. It’s not clear where he spent June and July, so that is another challenge. It’s a minimum of three months in India and who knows where else.
As for that grudge with John DaSilva, well early in December 1962 they were on the bill for Nottingham. Of course there would be a whole new script now
Some of the results of the 1962 tour are listed here, not all, I have just picked out wrestlers who we are familiar with in British rings.
I sense that India had wrestling most of the year round. The big shows were showcase and in general needed Dara Singh to get towards a sell out. With this in mind it looks like the model was to run a short season in a handful of large cities. The same characters could not be available everywhere, the country was just too big. So each city seems to have occupied different months of the year.
You could guess some of the cities that would put wrestling on, but it was sheer luck to find Ahmedabad, not a place that springs to mind when you think of India.
During April Kumali wrestled Dara Singh in Delhi according to WD.Com
This gives a feel for what he was doing in India at this time
1964 at Ahmedabad will be another story.
Some results from Ahmedabad 1962
16th March 1962 ….. Robinson beat Kishanial Panda 2-1
27th March 1962….. Robinson and DaSilva drew with Randhawa and Joginder
30th March 1962….. Robinson drew with Pandhawa
4th May 1962 ….. Robinson lost to Dara Singh (Retired)
8th May 1962 ….. Robinson beat Tiger Joginder 2-1 Also beat Teja Singh Indian style
11th May 1962….. Robinson drew Randhawa
15th May 1962 ….. Robinson lost to DaSilva DQ
18th May 1962….. Robinson beat Vasant Singh 2-1
22nd May 1962 ….. Robinson v Randhawa Double KO
OTHERS OF NOTE
9th March ….. DaSilva beat Swaran Singh
16th March….. Kumali beat Superman (Quit)
23rd March ….. John DaSilva beat Randhawa by ko; Kumali and Al Rodgoa beat Tarlok and Saudager Singh.
24th March….. Lofty Binnie beat Mohammad Azad; Sitting Bull drew with Tiger Sucha
30th March ….. Dara Singh and Kumali drew.
1st May ….. Dara Singh beat Lofty Binnie Submission; Kumali and Rodgoa versus Hardit and Joginder was a No Contest; Randhawa beat Sitting Bull (Sleeper hold)
4th May ….. Kumali and Randhawa drew; Joginder beat Sitting Bull ko
8th May ….. Apollon drew with Kesar Singh;Kumali beat Superman ko;DaSilva and Randhawa double ko
11th May ….. Apollon and Dra Singh drew; Kesar Singh beat Kumali (hurt)
15th May ….. Dara and Randhawa (brothers) drew Apollon and Kumali (Cousins)
18th May ….. Kumali and Apollon beat Saudager and Randhawa
22nd May ….. Apollon beat DaSilva by DQ; Kumali v Vasant Draw ;Saudager beat Meretana by ko
29th May ….. Apollon beat Joginder; Kesar Singh beat DaSilva
Ron Historyo 2026
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