The People's Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI), under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), officially launched the All India University Armwrestling Championship at Maharana Pratap University in Aligarh in a move to promote the sport at the grassroots level.
This event represents the first time armwrestling has been included within the AIU, offering young athletes nationwide an opportunity to engage with the sport at the university level, according to a statement.
The launch ceremony featured several dignitaries, including Prof Naima Khatoon, Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, who served as Chief Guest. Other notable attendees were Parvinn Dabass, Co-Founder of the Pro Panja League, and Preeti Jhangiani, President of PAFI and Vice President of the Asian Armwrestling Federation (AAF).
Guests of Honour included Vijaya Singh, Zila Panchayat Adhyaksh, and Prof Narendra Bahadur Singh, Vice Chancellor of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University.
The championship drew participation from 52 universities across India, underscoring the growing interest in armwrestling among students.
Parvinn Dabass commented on the significance of the initiative: “Introducing Armwrestling into the Association of Indian Universities is a massive step forward for the sport in India. Universities are where raw talent exists in abundance, and this platform will allow us to discover and nurture the next generation of champions. With structured competitions like this, we can build a strong grassroots ecosystem and give young Armwrestlers the opportunity to grow and compete at the highest level.”
Preeti Jhangiani added, “This championship is a proud moment for the entire Armwrestling community in India. Bringing the sport into universities means that thousands of young athletes will now get the opportunity to try their hand at Armwrestling and pursue it seriously. Grassroots development is the foundation of any sport, and initiatives like this will help identify new talent from across the country and shape the future of Indian Armwrestling.”
The event also featured a Pro Panja League Mega Match between professional armwrestlers Abhishek Raghuvanshi and Vishal Choudhary, with Vishal Choudhary winning 3-1 before an enthusiastic audience.
The first-place award in the girls’ left hand category at the championship was claimed by Teja P of Calicut University, who is also a Pro Panja League star player representing the Mumbai Muscle team.