Prince Man at 08:31, 3 January 2026

2026-01-03T08:31:01Z

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-08-09T18:48:22Z

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{{Short description|Indian arm wrestling competition}}

{{Infobox sports league
| title = Pro Panja League
| current_season = 2023 Pro Panja League
| 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]]
| TV = Sony Sports Network
| streaming = Fancode
| website = https://propanja.com/
}}

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 start on 28 July, 2023 and end on 13 August 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 off of "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>

== Rules ==

=== League format ===
Each team plays each other twice during the round-robin stage, and then the top four teams based on points enter the playoffs, which consist of two semi-finals 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 bouts and three main card bouts take place within a single match between two teams, with the players of the two teams competing in each of these bouts; at the end of the game, 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, each player 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 each other one of their hands while keeping their elbows on a specially designed table, with a strap being bound around the two players' offered hands if necessary to avoid hand slippage. The players then 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 competitors can perform which can also result in penalties against them.<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 bouts if a player wins the bout without their opponent scoring a point (i.e. a 3-0 victory).<ref name=":3" /> Bouts must be completed within 30 minutes. An additional "challenge round" can be called for in main card bouts, in which the player calling for the challenge round can win five bonus points for their team if they beat their opponent within 10 seconds; however, if the player calling for the challenge round fails to win within 10 seconds, then their opponent earns the five bonus points, and the player who called for the challenge round earns either zero points or one point depending on whether they won the round.<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 ==
{{location map+|India|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=9.931233 |mark=Pink pog.svg|long=76.267303 |label= <div style="font-size:70%;">Kochi KD's</div>|position=left}}

{{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=22.3071588 |long=73.18121870000004 |label= <div style="font-size:70%;">Baroda Badshahs</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%;">Ludhiana Lions</div>|position=right}}}}
Six teams compete in the league, which are Kiraak Hyderabad, Mumbai Muscle, Rohtak Rowdies, Ludhiana Lions, Baroda Badshahs, and Kochi KD's. 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 competition categories (men, women, and specially abled).<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>

== Broadcasters ==
PPL will be broadcast on [[Sony Sports Network]].<ref name=":1" /> In the United States, it will be broadcast on [[Willow TV]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahadik |first=Gauresh |date=2023-07-18 |title=Pro Panja League to expand fan base in US following broadcast renewal with Willow TV |url=https://sportsmintmedia.com/pro-panja-league-to-expand-fan-base-in-us-following-broadcast-renewal-with-willow-tv/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=SportsMint Media |language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Sport in India]]
* [[Pro Kabaddi League]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Arm wrestling competitions]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in India]]

Pro Panja League - Revision history

Prince Man at 08:31, 3 January 2026

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article