Arm-wrestling gets stronger - 15th September 2023

An unusual sport is becoming very popular in India - arm-wrestling.

It isn't a new sport. In India it's a very old one. But now two Bollywood stars are interested in it. They are Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani. They both started a new arm-wrestling competition.

Parvin Dabas: "Our athletes are literally sons and daughters of our soil. Somebody is a government servant, somebody is a gym trainer, somebody is a mechanic, somebody is a farmer. They come from all walks of life and come from small-town India, and that's what we love about it, that's what the audience is getting attracted to."

Arm-wrestling, or 'panja', is a team sport. The players can win $24,000. There are some rules. Every team has to have men, women and people with disabilities.

In some parts of India, women have to stay at home. But Farheen Dehalvi loves arm-wrestling. And her husband helped her.

Her example helps girls.

Farheen Dehalvi: "Seeing me, girls are getting inspired. Now gyms have opened too, two gyms. Before I entered this league, we didn't even have gyms. Seeing me, two gyms have opened. We need to keep moving forward. It's very good, arm-wrestling."

The Panja League began in 2020. Soon, it's going to be on Indian TV.

Now, this old Indian sport has new fans and new wrestlers. The Bollywood actors have made it fresh and interesting.

For some people, this is a new start. In the future, arm-wrestling might become an Olympic sport. Who knows?