Pro Panja League organizes thrilling exhibition arm wrestling match in Mumbai
The much-anticipated maiden edition of the Pro Panja League, Asia's premier arm wrestling promotion draws near. And for this reason, Mr Parvin Dabas and Ms Preeti Jhangiani, who are the co-founders of the tournament, organized a captivating exhibition in Mumbai.
The event featured two most promising panja prospects from Maharashtra; Tawheed Shaikh from Aurangabad and Harshit from Mumbai. The duo battled it out in front of the audience to enchant them ahead of the main event.
The intense showdown spanned three gripping rounds, with Tawheed emerging victorious with a scoreline of 2-0. He has previously triumphed over the men's 90kg weight category title at the Pro Panja League Ranking tournament 2022 in Gwailor. Back then, he defeated Karaj Singh Virk, displaying undeniable dominance.
Voicing his excitement, the winner of the day eagerly awaited the league's inception and said:
"The Pro Panja anthem carries the slogan, 'Aapki Kismet, Aapke Haath' (Your Destiny, Your Hands). I cannot wait for the league to start. Armwrestling is an intense sport and it is important to maintain your calm against your opponent and not get intimidated by them."
Notably, the Pro Panja League has already fascinated the masses with its creative format. It is all set to buzz New Delhi's IGI Stadium between July 28 and August 13, 2023.
The first edition of Pro Panja League to feature six teams
The event will see participation from six teams in the maiden edition and each of them will feature 30 players. The first two teams to be named are Mumbai Muscle, which is owned by Mr Punit Balan, and Kiraak Hyderabad, which is owned by Mr Gautam Reddy.
There will be 10 weight divisions which will include six divisions for men, whereas three are secured for women. Among them, one is for physically challenged individuals.
Pravin Dabas, the co-founder of the Pro Panja League, also urged his excitement for the maiden edition. He added:
"I was always into combat sports and I really enjoyed Mixed Martial Arts. But when I wanted to start a sports promotion, I wanted to pick a sport which masses would love, and which has an Indian name as well.
"Panja or armwrestling, I felt, has a resonance with the masses in India, and it is a family-friendly sport. It can be understood by everyone and it has a very low financial entry point, unlike most other sports."
Another prominent figure behind the establishment of the league, Ms Preeti Jhangiani also exemplified how the promotion and the league have altered the dynamism of arm wrestlers in India.
"Before Pro Panja League, the arm wrestlers were leaving the sport. But since we came on in 2020, and we promised a platform to the arm wrestlers, there has been a resurgence. The athletes are coming back to the sport and the passion has been rekindled. People want to watch Panja and our social media numbers showcase there is a massive audience for the sport, already."
It should be noted that Pro Panja League has adhered to an unusual approach for cultivating the sports market just before its first-ever season. The efforts also include embracing promotional shows and Ranking Tournaments all over India since its establishment in 2020.
From Gwalior Fort and Gateway of India in Mumbai to the majestic Pride Casino Boat in Goa, all these events have spawned more than 275 million views on social media within a short span of 10 months.