Real-Life Historical Badass Gentleman: Pandiet Sewsankerghir-Gadjradj

Sometimes you come across the most amazing stories in unlikely circumstances. After an impromptu dinner party, I discovered that one of our hosts is the grand-daughter of a Surinamese legend, Pandiet Sewsankerghir-Gadjradj. It's a name that says, "I will crush you like the little girly man you are." What made this man a veritable badass gentleman? Well, let's delve into his story to find out.

Pandiet Sewsankerghir-Gadradj was born on Feb. 5, 1917, the only son of Shablal Gadjradj, a farmer and herder. Unbelievably, despite a vegetarian diet, he grew to be a hulking behemoth.

He got his start in obliterating opposition as an impromptu wrestler at a Muslim festival called the Tajia. Turns out, Pandiet had the strength of a dozen oxen, and easily tossed his would-be adversaries aside. It was the start of a long career as undefeated wrestling champion of Suriname, which lasted all the way up until he was 40 years old.

Pandiet was employed by Billiton Maatschappij Surinmae, a railroad company. Sometimes the wagons would get derailed. Rumor has it that he would single-handedly place these wagons filled with bauxite back onto the tracks, because he didn't have a weight machine at the time.

Muscle-bound though he was, strength wasn't Pandiet's only distinguishing feature. In fact, he excelled in the arts, and was a gifted musician, playing the Indian harmonium. He was also a religious figure, whose work as a the chairman of the council of priests bought about progressive increases in religious tolerance through open communication. For his contributions both to his company and his community, he was knighted, twice.

Understanding that it was his duty to making the world a better place, he found it fit to leave the world with 15 genetic replicas of himself. When he wasn't instructing his small horde, he was riding around on his classic BMW motorcycle. Motorcycle-riding, face-smashing, harmonium-playing, twice-knighted, priest warrior Pandiet gets a healthy round of applause as a true Badass Gentleman.