Poonawallas Flex Home for Arm-Wrestling Showdown

MUMBAI: Who says you need a stadium when your living room has enough grip to host a proper showdown? Billionaire industrialists Yohan and Michelle Poonawalla have turned their Pune mansion into India’s most unconventional sporting venue yet, hosting an exclusive Pro Panja League event that brought elite arm-wrestling right into the drawing room.

Pro Panja League, the country’s leading professional arm-wrestling circuit, co-founded by actors Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani staged three high-stakes bouts in the private residence, marking what organisers claim is the first time a professional sporting league in India has been held inside a family home.

The personal connection ran deep, Yohan Poonawalla was introduced to the sport by his son Zayan Poonawalla, an enthusiastic practitioner who trains regularly. That family spark led to the decision to open their doors, giving fans and athletes an unusually intimate, close-quarters experience far removed from traditional arenas.

Live-streamed on the Swen app, the evening featured three gripping matches:

• In the women’s opener, 18-year-old Olivia Dkhar (National and Meghalaya State Champion, representing MP Hathodas) faced Bimla Rawat (2025 PAFI Female Arm-Wrestler of the Year, four-time 2025 Nationals gold medallist, Jaipur Veers).
• Heavyweight fireworks followed as Tushar Awasthi (reigning Youth & Senior Heavyweight Champion, multiple Delhi State titles, MP Hathodas) clashed with Paarth Sonni (multiple-time National & State Heavyweight Champion and Champion of Champions, Mumbai Muscle).
• The finale delivered elite tension, Yuvraj Verma (reigning Champion of Champions, multiple National & Delhi State titles, Mumbai Muscle) took on 18-year-old Aabhas Rana (Junior World Champion, reigning Asian Champion, hook-style specialist, Kiraak Hyderabad – Season 2 champions).

The inclusion of a women’s bout underscored Pro Panja’s push for inclusivity and the rising profile of female athletes in strength sports.

Poonawalla Group chairman Yohan Poonawalla described the evening as a celebration of sport’s power to unite people, calling the home setting a way to champion a modern, inclusive league with global appeal.

Poonawalla Group director at the group Michelle Poonawalla emphasised the emotional side, “Sport is about connection as much as competition.” Hosting the event at home, she said, broke conventions and let raw talent especially women shine up close in a space that felt personal and celebratory.

Pro Panja League co-founders Preeti Jhangiani and Parvin Dabas praised the Poonawallas for embracing the league’s flexible, boundary-pushing ethos, thanking them and coordinator Ajay Marwah for making the unique evening possible.

In a sport that thrives on raw power and unbreakable focus, the Poonawallas proved that sometimes the strongest grip comes from opening your home and your doors to something new. Arm-wrestling may still be finding its mainstream footing in India, but nights like this one are giving it serious muscle.