Sports
Poonawallas Flex Home for Arm-Wrestling Showdown
Pune mansion turns arena as Pro Panja League stages rare bouts in private residence.
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.
Sports
Kaacon Sethi retires as CMO of Dainik Bhaskar Group after 12 years
Led brand, content and revenue innovation across media, sports and entertainment.
MUMBAI: After nearly a dozen years of shaping narratives and building brands, Kaacon Sethi is signing off from the marketing playbook at least for now. The long-time chief marketing officer at Dainik Bhaskar Group has stepped down, bringing to a close a 12-year stint that saw her steer the organisation through evolving media and revenue landscapes.
During her tenure, Sethi worked at the intersection of advertising, content and commerce collaborating closely with advertisers to craft client solutions and develop content-led offerings that went beyond traditional formats. Her role increasingly focused on aligning editorial strengths with brand objectives, unlocking new revenue streams in a media ecosystem undergoing rapid transformation.
Her journey at Bhaskar, she noted, was among the most defining phases of her career, one that allowed her to build, experiment and contribute across marketing, branded content and business strategy. From strengthening market presence to driving newer initiatives such as “Urban Bharat”, her work reflected a broader shift in how media organisations approach audience engagement and monetisation.
Sethi also highlighted the collaborative environment within the organisation, describing it as a space where ideas were tested, debated and pursued with conviction, an approach that helped shape several of the group’s marketing and content innovations over the years.
With experience spanning media, entertainment and sports marketing, her exit marks the end of a significant chapter not just for her but also for the organisation’s evolving marketing strategy.
For now, Sethi plans to take a short break before moving on to the next phase of her career. If the past 12 years are any indication, the pause may be brief but the impact is likely to linger longer.
