INSPIRE INSTITUTE OF SPORT (IIS) has announced the return of the IIS Dangal Championship, with the 2026 edition scheduled to be held on 23 February at the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Multipurpose Hall, Giri Centre, CCS HAU, Hisar, Haryana.
Building on the success of its inaugural tournament, the IIS Dangal Championship 2026 will, for the first time, feature national-level participation. Senior wrestlers from across the country will compete in Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling and Greco-Roman categories, significantly broadening the championship’s scope.
The previous edition, which was restricted to Haryana, saw more than 240 wrestlers take part. With entries now open at the national level, the 2026 tournament is expected to grow substantially, representing an important step forward for competitive wrestling in the region and across India.
The championship will also feature three premier IIS titles across various weight categories, aimed at recognising and rewarding excellence, dominance and resilience on the mat.
Weight categories and titles:
* Senior Freestyle – 57 kg (IIS Weight Title), 74 kg (IIS Veer Title) and +74 kg (IIS Yodha Title).
* Senior Greco-Roman – 60 kg (IIS Weight Title), 77 kg (IIS Veer Title) and +77 kg (IIS Yodha Title).
* Senior Women’s Wrestling – 53 kg (IIS Weight Title), 62 kg (IIS Veer Title) and +62 kg (IIS Yodha Title).
IIS president Manisha Malhotra said, “The idea behind the IIS Dangal Championship was to give wrestlers a stage where effort, courage and consistency truly matter. The response to the first edition was incredibly encouraging, and it told us that this platform was needed. Taking it to the national level now allows wrestlers from across the country to challenge themselves, gain exposure and grow through competition. Hosting it in Hisar makes it even more meaningful, because this region has such deep roots in Indian wrestling and continues to produce incredible talent.”
IIS Hisar head coach Siyanand shared, “Hisar has always been a wrestling town but bringing a national-level championship of this scale here is something special. For young wrestlers in the region, it means they can see and compete against the best without having to travel far. And for athletes from other states, it gives them the chance to experience the intensity and culture of wrestling in Haryana. IIS Dangal 2026 will be a place where real competition and real growth come together.”
