India's former Mr. Universe Manohar Aich turned 100 today, nearly 60 years after he won the bodybuilding award, reports the AP. Born in Bengal province, Aich had to overcome extreme poverty to become the bodybuilding champion. He joined the Royal air force in 1942, which is where he discovered bodybuilding. A few years later, he was thrown into jail for protesting British colonialism, which is when he stepped up his workout regime—despite having no equipment, he would exercise up to 12 hours a day. "It was in the jail that I began weight training seriously. This helped me prepare myself for the world championship," says Aich.
At just 4-feet-11, Aich is one of the shortest Mr. Universe winners ever. He credits a simple diet of milk, fruits and vegetables, rice, lentils, and fish for his long life, along with keeping a positive attitude. "I never allow any sort of tension to grip me. I had to struggle to earn money since my young days, but whatever the situation, I remained happy," Aich said. (More Mr. Universe stories.)
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