Jadhav was born in Goleshwar village near Karad in Maharashtra. He was the youngest of five sons of renowned wrestler Dadasaheb Jadhav. His schooling took place at Tilak High School in Karad between 1940 and 1947. Growing up in a wrestling-centric household, he was introduced to the sport at an early age.

Wrestling Career

Jadhav's wrestling career began under the guidance of his father and later mentors Baburao Balawde and Belapuri Guruji. Despite his involvement in the Quit India Movement, he excelled academically and athletically. His first major international exposure came at the 1948 London Olympics, where he finished sixth in the flyweight category.

1948 Summer Olympics

The Maharaja of Kolhapur funded Jadhav's journey to the 1948 London Olympics. During his stay, he trained under Rees Gardner, a former lightweight World champion from the United States. Jadhav defeated Australian wrestler Bert Harris and Billy Jernigan of the US but lost to Mansour Raeisi of Iran, finishing sixth.

1952 Summer Olympics

Jadhav trained rigorously for four years leading up to the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Moving up to the bantamweight category (57 kg), he competed against wrestlers from twenty-four countries. He defeated opponents from Mexico, Germany, and Canada before losing his semi-final bout. However, he secured a bronze medal on 23 July 1952.

Return from Helsinki

Upon returning from Helsinki, Jadhav received a hero's welcome at Karad Railway Station. A cavalcade of 151 bullock carts and dhols carried him through Goleshwar village, celebrating his historic achievement.

Later Life and Death

In 1955, Jadhav joined the police force as a sub-inspector and later became an Asst. Police Commissioner. Despite his service, he struggled for pension later in life and faced neglect from sports federations. He died in a road accident on 14 August 1984, leaving behind a legacy that was later recognised posthumously.

Awards and Honours

Jadhav was part of the torch run at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi. The Maharashtra Government awarded him the Chhatrapati Puraskar posthumously in 1992-1993. In 2000, he received the Arjuna Award for his contributions to wrestling. The wrestling venue for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games was named after him.

On 15 January 2023, Google honoured Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav with a Google Doodle on his 97th birth anniversary.