Actor, former athlete and politician Praveen Kumar Sobti passed away at the age of 74. 

Known for playing the character of Bheem in BR Chopra’s iconic Mahabharat, Praveen Kumar was also a gold medal winner in the Asian Games.  

Breaking the news of his demise, his daughter Nikunika told Indian Express, “He passed away yesterday around 9.30 pm. He suffered a heart attack. He died at home in Delhi.”  

Besides immortalising Bheem on the small screen, Praveen Kumar also played the character of Sabu in the live-action TV series Chacha Chaudhary. 

© Twitter

Apart from his iconic small-screen appearances, he also featured in films like Shahenshah alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Loha alongside Dharmendra and Ghayal alongside Sunny Deol, among others. 

Before becoming an actor, Praveen Kumar was a national level hammer and discus thrower. He won the gold medal four times in Asian Games. He also represented India in the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and in the Munich Olympics in 1972. 

An Arjuna Award winner, Kumar later worked as a Deputy Commandant in the Border Security Force (BSF). 

He also contested elections from Aam Aadmi Party in 2013. Later, he joined the BJP. 

View the full article