Damoo Dhotre’s journey from a small-town boy in Pune to an internationally acclaimed circus performer and US Army corporal is a story of courage, talent, and global recognition. (File Photo)An elephant stands on its hind legs, trunk lifted to the sky, showing the direction of the wind. This statue on a wind vane has a jaw-dropping effect. Not surprisingly, it was imagined and installed by Damodar Gangaram Dhotre, the legendary circus performer from Pune, who once astounded the world with his dexterity with fierce beasts.At a modern-looking 1956 wada in Subhash Nagar, Shukrawar Peth, a blue plaque informs people that this is where Dhotre—better known as Damoo Dhotre—once lived. His prowess, however, extends far beyond the looming home.A ringmaster at 14, the famous “Damoo Dhotre from India” represented the country before audiences in France, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia and China, among others. Tall and muscular, a turbaned Dhotre astounded audiences by performing with lions, tigers and panthers, among others. “When he entered the cage, there used to be pin-drop silence,” says his great-grandson Anand Dhotre, a lawyer.Dhotre himself found his fame hard to believe. “Here was I, playing centre ring for literally the “greatest show on earth” in the United States of America. And, really, not too many years before, I had been a skinny little boy in a little town called Poona in southern India, dreaming of running away from home and joining my uncle’s circus,” he wrote in his autobiography, Wild Animal Man.Dhotre, who was born in Pune to an impoverished family, joined his uncle’s circus at the age of nine. Within a year, he was an expert acrobat. His curiosity about animals meant it was just a matter of time before he became a disciple of the circus’s chief animal trainer, Dhondiram Chavan. “Animal training is a serious, dangerous and exacting profession. As long as you do exactly as I say, I shall go on teaching you,” Chavan told Dhotre.Many countries, including India, have banned wild animals in circuses. But at the time when Dhotre was performing, they were a leading attraction. Dhotre worked in Isako’s Russian Circus and went to France to join Bertram Mills before he got a call from across the Atlantic in the 1950s to join the famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in the US. This circus was known as “The Greatest Show on Earth”.The clouds of World War II were thickening, and when the US joined the Allied Forces, Dhotre was inducted into the army. He was a corporal in the US Army between 1943 and 1946. Dhotre writes that it was in 1944 when he was in the US Army that he got the biggest fright of his life. “One night, I returned to my barracks at a camp in Maryland. The other men were sound asleep….As I neared my bed, I thought I heard a rather strange, throaty snore. It was a ghostly sound. I thought of all the animals I knew but could not identify the sound,” he wrote in his autobiography.Story continues below this adJust as he was about to fall asleep, he felt something cold against his feet. “With a terrified shriek that woke half the barrack, I leapt ten feet out of my bed,” he wrote. The culprit turned out to be a “bewildered-looking bullfrog”. “I must make a confession to you as I did my buddies that night. I have no fear of any other living creature. But for some reason I will never know, I am terrified of frogs,” he revealed.Dhotre enjoyed his stay in the US. “He was given citizenship by President John F Kennedy for his services to the circus, but by 1956, he wanted to return home to India. He came back to Pune and built this house,” says Anand, who maintains an archive of 400-500 photographs of Dhotre, statues of animals, and other memorabilia.“His autobiography in Marathi was published as Wagh Sinh Majhe Sakhe Sobati. Chapters were included in the fourth and ninth grade Marathi textbooks by the state government,” Anand added.Anand has been trying to increase Dhotre’s visibility among the new generation. “We have tried to get a stamp issued of him or a memorial erected. We would like a circus school started in Pune to preserve the dying circus performance art. It is important that we do not forget the man who could work magic with ferocious animals,” he said.Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd