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Pro Wrestling League player auction on 3 November; bids to start at $50,000
MUMBAI: Over 200 players from 25 countries including India will go under the hammer on 3 November as the auction for the world’s richest Olympic style wrestling tournament Pro Wrestling League (PWL) is all set to take place in New Delhi.
Six franchisees will be bidding for players at the auction and each team will have a marquee player. The bid for the Olympic and World Championship winners will start at the base price of $50,000.
“Each team has a player auction purse of Rs 2 crore. We are sure that all players picked will be delighted with the financial reward to play in the league,” said Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
As many as 60 players will find buyers since each of the six teams will have a 10 players, including four women – a maximum of four overseas players and six Indians.
Singh added, “The PWL Players’ auction will be a big landmark in the history of sport. It will give the six franchises the opportunity to bid for the best players and complete their squads. The player pool is so rich in talent that after the auction we will have six squads to offer highly competitive action for wrestling lovers.”
About 100 top international wrestlers from 25 countries, including Olympic and World Championship stars, and over a 100 Indian wrestlers will come under the hammer. The wrestlers include more than 20 medal winners from the World Wrestling Championship held in Las Vegas last month. These include current European Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games champions and other international medal winners.
Indian film industry’s Deol family and GMR Group, who also won the Delhi Daredevils IPL team, are among the six PWL franchisees.
CDR Punjab team owner and veteran actor Dharmendra said, “I’m extremely happy that wrestling is being presented in a world class manner at a global platform, with Pro Wrestling League. I’m sure that Indian wrestling lovers will get abundant opportunities at a grass-root level.”
Three-time women’s world champion Adeline Gray from the US has called the League a historic move in international wrestling. She said, “By bringing Pro event with huge sums of money, Indian organisers have taken a bold step in popularizing wrestling at the world level.”
The mood is upbeat in India too. Double Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar is confident that the League will give a big boost to Indian wrestling.
“It will be a great boost when the cream of world wrestling comes to India. This will be a great opportunity for our players to travel with them and learn a lot. Besides the League will keep the focus on the sport and motivate the upcoming wrestlers,” said Kumar.
The PWL is a joint venture of Wrestling Federation of India and its commercial partner – Pro Sportify Pvt Limited, which is also the promoter and organiser of the league.
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.
