Pro Panja League, India’s first-ever professional armwrestling promotion, gets a major boost as Legendary Bollywood actor and entrepreneur Suniel Shetty joins the promotion as a minority stakeholder. Shetty, who has already garnered reputation for his business acumen over the past decade, has come on board as an equity partner at the group level.

Pro Panja League, launched by Bollywood actor and producer Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani, is currently hosting its inaugural season at the IGI Stadium in New Delhi, and has already amazed the fans with thrilling armwrestling bouts. Pro Panja League is being aired on Sony Sports Ten 3 and Sony Sports Ten 3 HD and being exclusively livestreamed on FanCode.

Speaking on his association with the Pro Panja League, Shetty said, “My shareholding will be in single digit equity. For me, it was always about entering into the league and becoming a part of it. I honestly believe that after cricket, there is only one league that can be popular and that is Panja. Size does not matter when it comes to this sport. It’s the strength, technique and the strength of your mind.”

“The moment I saw Parvin and Preeti launch Pro Panja League, I instantly thought this was a great product. They are already making a big impact. Being on the right platform such as Sony, and making good noise all around. The icing on the cake was the campaign promo with Sunny Paaji (Sunny Deol) with his ‘dhai kilo ke haath’. It truly worked like magic,” he added.

Meanwhile, co-founder Parvin Dabas describes Shetty’s involvement as rocket fuel to the massively popular Pro Panja League.

“We are thankful to Suniel Shetty for deciding to come on board with us and for recognising what we have been trying to achieve with the league,” Dabas said. “Suniel Ji is not only a legendary actor, but his business acumen is second to none. We are marrying sports and entertainment here and Suniel Ji, who has years and years of experience in the entertainment industry, but also in business in various fields, is a true asset. He really knows how to grow companies and has a huge vision. It takes weight off my shoulders a little, and will allow me to concentrate more on creative aspects. His presence also gives me a mentor with whom I can discuss my business plans and market trends, and we are already implementing some of the ideas he has shared with us.”

180 armwrestlers from across 14 states (Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Odisha, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan) in India are competing in the first season of the Pro Panja League, featuring six franchises – Kiraak Hyderabad, Mumbai Muscle, Rohtak Rowdies, Ludhiana Lions, Baroda Badshahs, and Kochi KD’s.

Pro Panja League Season 1 takes place between July 28th and August 13th and will be broadcast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 3 SD and Sony Sports Ten 3 HD and will be available to livestream on FanCode.