GUWAHATI: The Pro Panja League’s Northeast Trials concluded in Guwahati on October 4, bringing together promising arm-wrestling talent from across the region and beyond.
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The trials gave athletes a platform to compete across multiple weight categories and showcase their strength on the Pro Panja League stage.
Parvinn Dabass, Co-Founder of the Pro Panja League, and Preeti Jhangiani, President of the People’s Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI) and Vice-President of the Asian ArmWrestling Federation, attended the event.
They were joined by Jamil Hilaly, Special Secretary, Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Assam. Garima Saikia Garg, wife of the late music icon Zubeen Garg, was also in attendance, along with actors Jatin Bora and Diganta Hazarika, filmmaker Manash Barua, and Dr Hitesh Baruah, Founder and Managing Director of Nemcare Hospital.
The evening featured two Mega Matches. In the first, Raymond Khawlhring of Mizoram defeated Rituraj Pandey of Assam.
In the second, Karaj Virk of Haryana defeated Arpan Kar of West Bengal.
Winners were also crowned in seven other categories.
In the men’s section, Dibya Jyoti Borah of Assam won the 60kg category, while Jimmison Marwein of Meghalaya claimed the 70kg title. Mizoram’s Vanlal Duata and Biaksiamliana won the 80kg and 90kg categories, respectively, while Chandan Mohapatra of Odisha claimed the 90kg+ title.
In the women’s section, Junmoni Das of Assam won the 60kg category, while Shireen Bojja of West Bengal won the 65kg+ category.
Speaking on the conclusion of the Northeast Trials, Parvinn Dabass, Co-Founder of the Pro Panja League, said, “The response in Guwahati has once again shown us the depth of arm-wrestling talent that exists across the Northeast.
“Our objective with these trials was to create a structured pathway where athletes can compete, get recognised and take the next step in their journey. We are excited to see how many of these athletes progress to the Pro Panja League.”
Preeti Jhangiani, President of PAFI and Vice-President of the Asian ArmWrestling Federation, said, “Assam and the Northeast have always been important to Indian arm-wrestling, and the competition reflected the talent and passion that exists here.
“We want to keep creating opportunities for athletes from the region and give them a platform where their performances can open doors to the next level of the sport,” Jhangiani added.
