Pro Panja League

{{Short description|Indian arm wrestling competition}} {{Infobox sports league | title = Pro Panja League | current_season = 2025 Pro Panja League | last_season = 2023 Pro Panja League | upcoming_season = | logo = Pro Panja League.svg | sport = Arm wrestling | founded = 2020 | inaugural = 2023 | motto = Aapki Kismat, Aapke Haath (Your Fate, Your Hands) Bharat Ka Khel (India's Game) | teams = 6 | country = India | champion = Kiraak Hyderabad | most successful club = Rohtak Rowdies<br> Kochi KD's (1 Title each) | TV = (Main Card)<br> Sony Sports Network<br> DD Sports | streaming = India: Fancode<br> Worldwide: SportVot | website = https://propanja.com/ }} {{Season sidebar|title=Seasons|list=* 2023}}

The '''Pro Panja League''' ('''PPL''')<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rock |first=Jay |date=2020-06-22 |title=Pro Panja League: Fastest growing Arm Wrestling tournament in the World |url=https://www.sportsindiashow.com/pro-panja-league-fastest-growing-arm-wrestling-tournament-in-world/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Sports India Show |language=en-US}}</ref> is a professional Indian arm wrestling league which had its first season in July 2023. There are separate competition categories for men, women, and specially abled (disabled) players,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=Pro Panja League to debut on July 28 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/pro-panja-league-to-debut-on-july-28-101682418721911.html |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> and the tournament took place at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Webdunia |title=Preeti Jhangiani announces IGI Stadium as venue for inaugural edition of ‘Pro Panja League’ |url=https://english.webdunia.com/article/sports-news/preeti-jhangiani-announces-igi-stadium-as-venue-for-inaugural-edition-of-pro-panja-league-123060700013_1.html |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Webdunia |language=en}}</ref>

== History == The name of the tournament is based on "Panja", a word used in the Indian subcontinent to refer to arm wrestling.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vijaykumar |first=Ajit |date=2023-07-21 |title=Arm-ageddon: The Sharjah accountant taking UAE arm wrestling forward |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/combat-sports/2023/07/21/arm-ageddon-the-sharjah-accountant-taking-uae-arm-wrestling-forward/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref> Starting in 2020, there were some exhibition events, tournaments, and matches held,<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Handball To Panja, Why Sports Leagues Are Taking Off In India |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/from-handball-to-panja-why-sports-leagues-are-taking-off-in-india/86315/1 |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Forbes India |language=en}}</ref> which acquired about 275 million views on social media.<ref name=":2" /> Before the first season, there was a ranking tournament held at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh,<ref name=":0" /> with the top 18 arm wrestlers in each of the 10 weight categories qualifying for the first season.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=M |first=Hari Kishore |date=2022-05-10 |title=Pro Panja League: Asia's biggest arm-wrestling league to commence ranking tournament in Gwalior on July 22 |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/sports/news-pro-panja-league-asia-s-biggest-arm-wrestling-league-commence-gwalior-july-22 |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The first season was won by the Kochi KDs.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-08-13 |title=Kochi shines in the final, defeating Hyderabad to win the opening season of Pro Panja League |url=https://morningexpress.in/kochi-shines-in-the-final-defeating-hyderabad-to-win-the-opening-season-of-pro-panja-league/ |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=morningexpress.in |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Rules== ===League format=== Each team plays each other twice during the round-robin stage, and the top four teams enter the playoffs, which consist of two semi-finals (1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 3rd) and a final.

===Gameplay=== Two players in the same weight category compete to overpower each other and score points over several rounds of a bout. In an "under card/prelim" bout, three rounds are contested, while in a "main card" bout, five rounds are contested. Three under card and three main card bouts take place within a single match, each featuring a different pair of opponents; the team whose players scored more points wins the match. In an under card bout, the player who wins two out of three rounds earns one point, while the loser gains nothing; in a main card bout, players earns one point for every round they win.<ref name=":3" /> In the final, five main card bouts are contested.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Pro Panja League 2023 - Apps on Google Play |url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=forcepower.golf.PPL&hl=en_US |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=play.google.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

At the start of each round, the players offer one of their hands while keeping elbows on a specially designed table, with a strap being bound around offered hands to avoid slippage. The players attempt to force their opponent's hand to hit designated touch pads on the table underneath their hands to win the round. There are various rule violations which can result in penalties against players.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raja |first=Vidya |date=2020-11-05 |title=Anyone Can Arm Wrestle to Win Rs 15000 at This Inclusive Pro-Panja League |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/241425/arm-wrestling-india-panga-pro-league-prize-money-game-how-to-participate-championship-disabled-woman-men-punjab-vid01/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> Two bonus points are gained in main card bout if a player wins without opponent scoring a point (i.e. a 3-0 victory earns 5 points).<ref name=":3" /> Bout must be completed within 30 minutes. An additional challenge round can be called in main card bout. The player calling for the challenge round can win five bonus points if they beat opponent within 10 seconds; however, if it fails, the opponent earns five bonus points.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-06 |title=Pro Panja League to kick-off in Delhi |url=https://www.a2zoftrends.com/post/pro-panja-league-to-kick-off-in-delhi |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=A2zoftrends |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">[https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/others/pro-panja-league-season-1-kicks-off-with-bang-ludhiana-lions-mumbai-muscle-register-wins20230728225736/ Pro Panja League season 1 kicks off with bang; Ludhiana Lions, Mumbai Muscle register wins] https://www.aninews.in/</ref><ref name=":4" />

==Teams== ===Current teams=== {{location map+|India3|width=300|float=right|caption=Locations of the PPL teams|alt=Locations of the PPL teams|places={{location map~ |India |lat=18.97500 |long=72.82583 |mark=Orange pog.svg|label= <div style="font-size:70%;">Mumbai Muscle</div>|position=right}}

{{location map~ |India |lat=17.37 |mark=Yellow pog.svg|long=78.48 |label= <div style="font-size:70%;">Kiraak Hyderabad</div>|position=right}}

{{location map~ |India |lat=28.895515|long=76.606611|mark=Brown pog.svg|label= <div style="font-size:70%;">Rohtak Rowdies</div>|position=right}}

{{location map~ |India |lat=30.900965 |long=75.857277 |mark=Blue pog.svg|label= <div style="font-size:70%;">Sher-E-Ludhiana</div>|position=right}}}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |- !colspan=2|Team !City !Debut !Notes |- |style="background:blue;"| |Mumbai Muscle |Mumbai, Maharashtra |2023 | |- |style="background:yellow;"| |Kiraak Hyderabad |Hyderabad, Telangana |2023 | |- |style="background:Orange;"| |Jaipur Veers |Jaipur, Rajasthan |2025 | |- |style="background:gold;"| |Sher-E-Ludhiana |Ludhiana, Punjab |2025 | |- |style="background:brown;"| |MP Hathodas |Madhya Pradesh |2025 | |- |style="background:silver;"| |Rohtak Rowdies |Rohtak, Haryana |2023 | |}

===Former teams=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |- !Team !Debut !Dissolved !Notes |- |Kochi KD's |2023 |2024 |Season 1 champion |- |Ludhiana Lions |2023 |2024 | |- |Rarh Bengal Tigers | |2025 |Dissolved before competing |- |Baroda Badshahs |2023 |2024 | |}

Six teams compete in the league. 180 players in ten different weight categories were drafted for the first season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=The Bridge |date=2023-07-11 |title=Pro Panja League drafts 180 arm wrestlers for inaugural season |url=https://thebridge.in/arm-wrestling/draft-details-of-the-inaugural-season-of-the-pro-panja-league-42938 |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=thebridge.in |language=en}}</ref> with six weight categories reserved for men, three for women, and one for physically challenged participants.<ref>{{Cite web |last=SportzConnect |date=2023-07-06 |title=Pro Panja League organizes thrilling exhibition arm wrestling match in Mumbai |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/sports/news-pro-panja-league-organizes-thrilling-exhibition-arm-wrestling-match-mumbai |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The winning team will win {{INRConvert|2|m}}, while the runner-up team will win {{INRConvert|500000}}, with equal money distributed in all categories.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-24 |title=Pro Panja League announces Rs 20 lakh as prize money for winning team of inaugural season |url=https://sportsdigest.in/pro-panja-league-announces-rs-20-lakh-as-prize-money-for-winning-team-of-inaugural-season/90255/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Sports Digest |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Editions and results== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; ! rowspan=2|Year ! colspan=3|Final ! rowspan=2|Venue ! rowspan=2|Total teams |- !Champion !Result !Runners-up |- |2023 !Kochi KD's |'''30–28''' |Kiraak Hyderabad |Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi | rowspan=4|6 |- |2025 !Kiraak Hyderabad |'''30-18''' |Rohtak Rowdies |Jiwaji Club, Gwalior |}

==Broadcasters== Pro Panja League telecasts on Sony Sports Network and DD Sports in India.<ref name=":1" /> It also broadcasts on FanCode and SportVot.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pro Panja League goes global with SportVot as official worldwide streaming partner|url="https://sportsmintmedia.com/pro-panja-league-goes-global-with-sportvot-as-official-worldwide-streaming-partner/"}}</ref>

==See also== * Sport in India

==References== {{Reflist}}

* Category:Arm wrestling competitions Category:Professional sports leagues in India