NEW DELHI: Pro Panja League Tuesday announced the dates for the first season of Asia’s biggest arm-wrestling promotion.
Kicking off 28th July, the tourament will run through to 13th August. The 17-day sporting event will feature 180 arm wrestlers, divided among six teams, with the action to be broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1 and Sony Sports Ten 1 HD channels.
Pro Panja League, the brainchild of Bollywood actors and producers Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani, will feature categories for men, women and specially abled arm wrestlers. The arm-wrestlers competing in the first season have been selected after qualifying from the ranking tournament that was held in Gwalior in July last year.
Pro Panja League co-owner Parvin Dabas said, “The feedback to our partnership with Sony Sports Network has been stupendous. Arm Wrestling and combat sports fans are going to be treated to some prime-time arm-wrestling action for the first time on Sony Sports Network in July and August, which have traditionally been very strong months for the Pro Panja League. We cannot wait to serve up some strong summer fare for the sports fans.”
Originally launched in 2020 with an event at Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi, Pro Panja has had two editions of ranking tournaments, multiple “mega matches” between arm-wrestling champions, and several promotional events across the country. With events having taken place across Gwalior Fort, Gateway of India, Mumbai, and Majestic Pride Casino Boat in Goa, Pro Panja is also opening a doorway for sports tourism.
On the first season launch of Pro Panja League, Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer, Distribution & International Business and head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks, said: “We are glad to have the Pro Panja League on board with us for its inaugural season. These are exciting times for fans of arm-wrestling across the country who will get to witness athletes putting on an exhibition of their physical strengths. Arm wrestling in India in a professional capacity has great potential and we aim to make it a household name in the world of sports.”
For their work in the promotion of arm wrestling, Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani have already received several accolades from India and across the globe, with the latter also recently being named the president of the Maharashtra Arm Wrestling Association and the former having received the Golden Medal from Dzeenbek Mukambetov, the highest recognition from the World Arm Wrestling Federation.
