Says will return to India to do ‘something big’ for country, but no plan to join politics

Waving to the cheering crowd, which swelled enthusiastically outside the Gaiety Theatre to catch a glimpse of WWF wrestler The Great Khali, Daleep Singh Rana walked tall on The Mall and The Ridge on Tuesday, taking Shimla literally by storm.

As Khali attended two functions at Gaiety, where he was felicitated, the police had a tough time managing the crowd outside the theatre. The Himachal-born wrestler, however, tried to reach out to his fans: “I apologise to all my fans, especially those who have been waiting outside the Gaiety Theatre, for my inability to reach them.” In his brief speech at one of the functions, he promised: “Next time when I come here, I will ask the organisers to hold such functions in the open.”

Striking an emotional chard with the people of Himachal, Khali extended condolences to the families of those who died in a major bus accident at Kotkhai on Monday. He had attended a felicitation function hours before at the small town in the state’s apple belt. On Monday night, he visited the Indira Gandhi Medical College to meet the accident victims.

In the first function organised at Gaiety by the Progressive Youth Forum, Khali was honoured by former Congress minister Harsh Mahajan, while BJP leader and Himachal Cricket Association president Anurag Thakur honoured him at the next function.

Khali looked overwhelmed as the crowd, both young and old, followed him everywhere, braving the chilly winds.

... contd.