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Pro Panja League set to premiere on Sony Sports Network
Mumbai: The stage is set for the inaugural season of the Pro Panja League to kick off with Asia’s biggest arm-wrestling promotion set to premiere on Sony Sports Network from 28 July 2023. With the final set to take place on 13 August 2023, the 17-day sporting event is ready to take armwrestling across India to the next level and revolutionise the sport all around the country.
To add to the level of excitement, Pro Panja League has announced their first two franchises with Punit Balan Studios Private Ltd. acquiring the Mumbai franchise and Ned Ventures Led By Gautam Reddy getting the Hyderabad franchise.
Speaking of his association with the Pro Panja League, Balan said, “One of the most popular and fast games across the world is arm-wrestling. It is a combination of strength and technique to pin down your opponent. The game has a unique and ancient history. I am glad to be associated with Pro Panja League because our group supports non-cricketing sports. We want to give equal importance to all sports. There is a lot of excitement around Pro Panja League among the masses. We want to make this league the next big thing in India.”
Reddy also addressed the reasons behind investing in the Pro Panja League franchise and said, “We are delighted to associate ourselves with Pro Panja League. We have always believed in giving prominence to the regional sports in India, like we have done with Kabaddi and Pro Panja League shares similar vision as ours. Panja is a sport which is a part of Indian culture and we are delighted to see it getting the platform it deserves after a long time. We are happy with the work the co-owners Mr. Parvin Dabas and Ms. Preeti Jhangiani have done over the past few years. We are confident Pro Panja League will change the landscape of armwrestling, not only in India, but all over the world.”
Both Balan and Reddy already have a vast experience of successfully running teams in sporting leagues. Punit Balan is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, social worker and a sports enthusiast and owns teams across multiple sports leagues in India. Meanwhile, Reddy is also the owner of a prominent kabaddi team which competes in one of India’s biggest professional leagues.
“We are glad to see prominent businesses of such great caliber and vast experience associating themselves with the Pro Panja League. We are grateful to them for showing their interest in armwrestling. Their presence promises a cracking contest in the first season of the Pro Panja League. Mumbai and Hyderabad are two regions which are hugely popular among arm wrestling fans and we are confident the two teams will make their presence known in the first season,” said Pro Panja League co-founder Parvin Dabas.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
