The maiden season of the Pro Panja League (PPL), Asia’s largest arm wrestling league, is approaching its much-awaited debut. To build the excitement, the Co-founders, Mr Parvin Dabas and Ms Preeti Jhangiani laid out an exhibition match for a select gathering between two of Maharashtra’s biggest Panja prospects – Tawheed Shaikh from Aurangabad and Harshit from Mumbai.
Tawheed, who had defeated Karaj Singh Virk in the Men’s 90kg Weight Category final in the Pro Panja League Ranking Tournament 2022 in Gwalior, prevailed with a resounding 2-0 victory.
Tawheed Shaikh said he is a little nervous regarding the league’s launch, but he is also incredibly excited. “Pro Panja anthem has a slogan – ‘Aapki Kismet, Aapke Haath’. I cannot wait for the league to start on Sony Sports Network. Armwrestling is an intense sport and it is important to maintain your calm against your opponent and not get intimidated by them. I hope to perform well and keep control of my nerves on the big stage,” Tawheed Shaikh said.
The Pro Panja League, which will be held in New Delhi from July 28 to August 13 at the IGI Stadium, has already drawn interest from viewers with its distinctive format. A total of 10 weight classifications, including six men’s, three women’s, and a physically challenged category, will include competition between six teams of 30 players each. Mumbai Muscle, owned by Mr Punit Balan, and Kiraak Hyderabad, owned by Mr Gautam Reddy, are the first two teams that have already been revealed.
After the exhibition match, Pro Panja League, Co-Founder Mr. Parvin Dabas, said, “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. I also realised that Indian audiences do not enjoy too much bloodshed. 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. All you need is a table, and once you see the table, it is very addictive.”
Since its founding in 2020, the Pro Panja League has conducted a number of promotional events and Ranking Tournaments around India as part of a novel strategy to grow the market before the first season. Pro Panja League has held events in the Gwalior Fort, the Gateway of India, Mumbai, and the Majestic Pride Casino Boat in Goa over the past 10 months, generating over 275 million social media views.
Pro Panja League, Co-Founder, Ms Preeti Jhangiani, said, “Before Pro Panja League, the armwrestlers 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.”
In association with Sony Sports Network, PPL also unveiled the campaign #LagaPanja to promote ‘Bharat Ka Khel’.
At the event, SportsMint Media asked the co-founders about PPL on the business front, “See, the first season is always an investment time to grow a sport. When you plan to grow a sport, you have to back it up for three-four seasons. People have to see value in this sport, see it’s not a sport which people have seen how is it played on the professional front, right? So we have to show them the value, which they will see after the first season, itself.”
