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Pro Panja League is all set for the inaugural season of the league on Sony Sports Network
Mumbai: There is excitement amongst fans as the inaugural season of the Pro Panja League, which takes place between 28 July and 13 August at the IGI Stadium in New Delhi, starts today. To engage viewers for Pro Panja League, which will be live telecast on Sony Sports Ten 3 and Sony Sports Ten 3 HD channels, Pro Panja League and Sony Sports Network launched a 360-degree marketing campaign highlighting the special aspects of the league to engage audiences and scale it to new heights in the world of sports entertainment.
The founders of Pro Panja League, Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani are well-known bollywood actors so it is not surprising that they collaborated with bollywood for the first season of the league. Pro Panja League launched a campaign film, voiced by the well-known actor and film director, Vijay Raaz, that takes audiences into the minds and emotions of the arm wrestlers at the table.
Given the synergy between the moviegoers and the sports viewers, Pro Panja League and Sony Sports Network also collaborated with Bollywood superstar Sunny Deol who will be seen next in the highly-awaited Gadar 2. The campaign film features Sunny Deol, in an arm-wrestling match against Pro Panja League athlete Sanjay Deswal.
An interesting piece of trivia is that Parvin’s first film, Dillagi, was Sunny Deol’s directorial debut in 1999 and they also starred together in the 2003 blockbuster The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. The two of them have collaborated once again after 20 long years, one could see their camaraderie off-camera.
Pro Panja League co-founder Parvin Dabas said, “I believe that a well-executed campaign has the power to connect, engage, and inspire communities around the world. We collaborated with Sony Sports Network and launched the #LagaPanja campaign to promote ‘Bharat Ka Khel’. It’s not just about the technology, but the creative storytelling and meaningful interactions that can truly make a campaign a game-changer and we have done just that, by exquisitely weaving a story of passion and arm-wrestling going hand in hand.”
“Panja already has its reach in metropolitan and in tier-two and tier-three cities. The hashtag #LagaPanja encapsulates the spirit of the sport and aims to ignite the feeling of passion among sporting fans from all walks of life,” he added.
Earlier, Pro Panja League and Sony Sports Network also launched the #LagaPanja campaign to promote ‘Bharat Ka Khel’, where the players can be seen sweating it out during their training session with their eyes set on the big prize.
Links to watch the campaign films:
Moreover, the Pro Panja League players’ draft, which took place on July 11, 2023, where a total of 180 players were divided into six teams, was telecast live on Sony Sports Network’s YouTube and Facebook channels. The players’ draft was hosted by sports presenter and entrepreneur, Charu Sharma, who spoke about the importance of turning arm-wrestling into a professional league for the athletes who want to make a career.
Pro Panja League, which will be hosted at the IGI Stadium in New Delhi between July 28 to August 13, has already captured the attention of audiences with its unique format. Six teams of 30 players each will compete across 10 weight divisions comprising men’s, women’s and physically challenged categories. The league will feature six teams – Mumbai Muscle, Kiraak Hyderabad, Rohtak Rowdies, Ludhiana Lions, Baroda Badshahs, and Kochi KD’s.
Pro Panja League Season 1 takes place between 28 July 2023 and 13 August 2023 and will be broadcast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 3 and Sony Sports Ten 3 HD and will be available to live stream on FanCode.
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.
