The All India University Armwrestling Championship was launched at Maharana Pratap University in Aligarh, marking the sport’s first inclusion under the Association of Indian Universities. The event, organised by PAFI, saw participation from 52 universities across India.

Aligarh, March 12, 2026: In a significant step towards the grassroots development of Armwrestling in India, the All India University (AIU) Armwrestling Championship was officially launched at Maharana Pratap University in Aligarh by the People’s Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI) under the aegis of the Association of Indian Universities.

The tournament marks a historic milestone as Armwrestling has been introduced into the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) for the first time, opening a new pathway for young athletes across the country to take up the sport at the university level.

Dignitaries attend launch ceremony

The launch ceremony was attended by Prof. Naima Khatoon, Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, as the Chief Guest, alongside Parvinn Dabass, Co-Founder of the Pro Panja League, and Preeti Jhangiani, President of the People’s Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI) and Vice President of the Asian Armwrestling Federation (AAF).