Brother-sister duo Aryan and Aakriti Kandari on how Pro Panja League propelled them to national stage

The siblings from Uttarakhand are representing Rohtak Rowdies in Pro Panja League Season 2.

The Rohtak Rowdies franchise has been a pioneer in strengthening good arm wrestling lineups for the last two seasons of the Pro Panja League.

This season too, the brother-sister duo Aakriti Kandari and Aryan Kandari has returned to participate in Season 2 of the Pro Panja League for Rohtak Rowdies, taking place at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Training Centre for Disability Sports.

Speaking on being approached for his first 80kg participation during the first season of the league and playing for Rohtak Rowdies along with his sister Aakriti, Aryan shares, “First of all, I got the message that there is a Pro Panja League season and someone has come to the Nationals.

“So, I got the contract signed and then I met the teams, and then they asked me if my sister would also participate. So, I said yes, Aakriti is very strong, so she will participate.”

Talking about his humble beginnings in the arm-wrestling journey, Aryan Kandari, the 80kg participant of Rohtak Rowdies, recalls his early transition from powerlifting to arm wrestling.

Aryan shares, “There were a couple of boys in my academy who used to practice arm wrestling during recess, involving my participation as well, and I got encouraged.

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“Whenever any teacher didn’t turn up, we used to escape and practice arm-wrestling during that break. One day, I got this crazy thought, as I used to do powerlifting before, to take part in a state arm wrestling competition where they were putting up arm-wrestling tables on the side.

“I didn’t even know that it was a sport. So, without practice, I almost defeated everyone. I thought I should do arm wrestling and participate well. So, I played in the state, then in the national team, then in the league.”

Talking about finding her own strength through her brother’s participation, Aryan’s sister Aakriti Kandari shares, “I got a call from Aryan. He said, Akku, you will play. I have played with him. I used to help him with practice. I was doing it with him and used to lift such heavy weights. He also used to say that I am strong.

“So, then the Pro Panja team said that they wanted a girl to play, as they must have seen my videos. I got a call from Aryan asking me to join PPL (Pro Panja League). It was necessary for me to play in the national events as I used to practice with Aryan. It took me a month to practice, then I joined the Pro Panja League event.”

Supporting his sister’s statement, Aryan responded, “After Pro Panja League, my sister has participated in State, National, and Asian events. People usually play State, National, Asian first. My sister played State, National, Asian after.”

Also Read: ‘Every Indian knows Panja’ Co-owner Preeti Jhangiani reveals reason behind starting Pro Panja League

Talking about seeing the growth of the sport evolve in Srinagar, Uttarakhand, where the duo hails from, Aryan shares, “When I used to play, only 10–15 people used to come. But when I started uploading on social media, 100, 200, 300, now 1000 people are playing in my state.

“Whenever I visit home, everyone says that they started because of me. So, it feels good to see platforms like Pro Panja helping sports like arm wrestling thrive.”

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Talking about coming from a strong supportive family background, both Aryan and Aakriti share, “Our parents are not athletes, but they have a strong background. My grandfather was also a police officer and an athlete.

“That’s why they can do gymnastics. My mother also used to do marathons. Our father used to prepare for the police. So, the whole family background is that everyone was in this.”

Talking about spending two seasons in the franchise with Rohtak Rowdies, both Aryan and Aakriti shared, “The environment with Rohtak Rowdies is very good. If anything is lacking, Abhishek Malik, Owner of Rohtak Rowdies, steps in to help that same day itself. The franchise provides good support so that there is no lack of energy or confidence during match days.

“There were days when we didn’t have each other during participation for state or national arm wrestling events, but through Rohtak Rowdies we got a platform to do it together and stronger.”

The Pro Panja League Season 2 is well underway, showcasing intense arm-wrestling matchups each day. Indian fans can experience all the live action on a variety of platforms including Sony Sports 3, DD Sports, and FanCode. The league is being held at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Training Centre for Disability Sports in Gwalior and will continue until August 21st, 2025.

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