New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse on Tuesday visited the venue for the 47th World Arm-wrestling and 28th World Para Arm-wrestling Championships 2026 in New Delhi, extending her best wishes to participants from more than 60 countries and describing India’s first-ever hosting of the global event as a “very big opportunity”.
The championships, being held at the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel from October 29 to November 6, have brought together more than 1,700 athletes, officials and supporters, making it one of the largest international arm-wrestling events staged to date.
During her visit, Khadse watched the bouts and interacted with athletes and officials while expressing her support for India’s armwrestlers and para armwrestlers competing on home soil.
India has so far secured 58 medals at the championships, comprising nine gold, 19 silver and 30 bronze. The tally includes 26 medals in para categories, 20 across sub-junior, junior and youth categories, and 12 in masters and grand masters events.
Speaking on the occasion, Khadse said, “For us, it is a very big opportunity that India is hosting the 47th World Arm-wrestling & 28th Para World Arm-wrestling Championship 2026 competition. All the very best from my side to everyone here. I am trying to encourage this arm-wrestling competition in India also. And thus, through this, definitely we all together can make something good for our country also.”
The championships are being hosted by the People’s Arm-wrestling Federation of India (PAFI), led by its president Preeti Jhangiani, who is also vice-president of the Asian Arm-wrestling Federation, and Pro Panja League co-founder Parvinn Dabass, under the affiliation and guidance of the World Arm-wrestling Federation (WAF). Swen is the official streaming partner.
The minister’s visit follows the formal inauguration of the championships on October 29 by Union Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Member of Parliament Anurag Singh Thakur.
India’s hosting of the global event builds on its growing presence in the sport, following the Asian Arm-wrestling Cup in Mumbai in 2024 and the Asian Arm-wrestling and Para Arm-wrestling Championships in New Delhi in 2025. India won 176 medals at the latter event and finished second overall.
The international competition will be followed by the Pro Panja League (PPL) Poonawalla Gold Edition II in Pune on November 28. Organised by PPL in partnership with the Poonawalla Group, the event will feature leading Indian and international armwrestlers, including World Championship medallists Yogesh Choudhary, Harkomal Singh Gill and Aabhas Rana.
Choudhary won gold in the Masters Women’s +80kg right-hand category and bronze in the left-hand event, while Gill claimed silver in the Youth Men’s 85kg right-hand category. Rana secured bronze in the Junior Boys’ +90kg left-hand event.
The World Arm-wrestling and Para Arm-wrestling Championships will conclude on November 6, with titles to be decided across able-bodied and para categories.
–IANS
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