India Shines at World Armwrestling Championship, Finishing Fifth Overall
India's Impressive Performance at the World Armwrestling Championship
New Delhi, November 10: India has wrapped up the 47th World Armwrestling and the 28th World Para Armwrestling Championship 2026, securing an impressive fifth place among 65 competing nations. This achievement was celebrated in front of a home audience in New Delhi.
The People’s Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI) and Pro Panja League had set ambitious targets: to finish in the top ten for 2026 and to break into the top five within three years. Remarkably, India has accomplished this goal three years ahead of schedule.
The Indian team brought home a total of 59 medals, comprising 9 Gold, 19 Silver, and 31 Bronze, showcasing talent across various age groups and divisions. Para athletes were particularly outstanding, contributing 26 medals (2 Gold, 10 Silver, 14 Bronze), which positioned India fifth in the para rankings. Additionally, sub-junior, junior, and youth competitors added 20 medals (3 Gold, 8 Silver, 9 Bronze), while masters and grandmasters secured 12 medals (4 Gold, 1 Silver, 7 Bronze), and the senior category contributed 1 Bronze.
Notable performances included Jincymol Sebastian, who clinched gold in both arms in the Grand Master Women 80 kg category, and Yogesh Choudhary and Shoukath VT, who each won gold in right-arm and bronze in left-arm competitions, respectively. Madhura K N also earned a bronze in Senior Women 70 kg (Right).
Pro Panja League, co-founded by Preeti Jhangiani and Parvinn Dabass, aims to professionalize armwrestling in India and create a structured pathway from grassroots to international competition.
Under Jhangiani's leadership, who serves as the President of PAFI and Vice President of the Asian Armwrestling Federation (AAF), India hosted this championship for the first time in its history. Competing on home turf, Indian athletes faced off against top armwrestling nations such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Georgia, Ghana, and Australia.
Parvinn Dabass remarked, “Achieving fifth place globally is a testament to the incredible efforts of our para armwrestlers and able-bodied competitors. Our para athletes contributed nearly half of India’s total medals, securing fifth place in both the para and able-bodied categories. Our junior, masters, and senior athletes matched this spirit in every bout. We aimed for a top-five finish within three years, and these athletes made it happen this year. They have demonstrated that Indian armwrestling is strong across all categories, and Pro Panja League will continue to build the platform they deserve.”
Preeti Jhangiani added, “Hosting the World Championship was a privilege for India, and finishing fifth overall is a strong validation of the federation's efforts. This achievement came ahead of our planned timeline and highlights the depth of talent across age groups and in para armwrestling. We are dedicated to maintaining this momentum so that Indian athletes can continue to excel on the international stage.”
The next World Armwrestling Championship is scheduled to take place in Canada in 2027. Meanwhile, the Pro Panja League Poonawalla Gold Edition II will be held in Pune on November 28, 2026, featuring World Championship medallists Yogesh Choudhary, Harkomal Singh Gill, and Aabhas Rana.
PAFI organized the championship under the auspices of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF). The event took place from October 29 to November 6, 2026, at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel in East Delhi, attracting over 1,700 athletes, officials, and delegates. Russia claimed the overall championship title, followed by Kazakhstan in second and Turkey in third.