Aizawl: The Winter Festival in Mizoram is back with a twist this year. Collaborating with the Pro Panja League, the festival will combine cultural celebrations with exciting arm wrestling competitions.
The festival, from December 14-21st December at AR Ground in Aizawl, is aimed at showcasing the vibrant cultural tapestry of Mizoram and boosting tourism.
The arm wrestling matches will be part of the festival and will see a number of athletes from the Northeast come December 17.
The event is being organized in collaboration with the Mizoram Sports and Youth Department, the Mizoram Sports Council, and the Mizoram Ministry of Tourism.
The Pro Panja League will also officially announce the Northeastern Championship, which will take place in 2025.
The Winter Festival 2024 will feature an array of stalls showcasing the rich heritage, arts, and crafts of Mizoram. Beyond the visual delights, attendees can immerse themselves in live concerts, captivating performances, and a variety of engaging programs throughout the festival.
Three players from Assam will participate in the Pro Panja League to be held in Mizoram. The players are Nilay Shankar, Ishan Kashyap, and Trideep Medhi.
It will witness one of the hill state’s own Denic Lalruattluanga, headlining the arm wrestling event.
Nilay will compete against Mizoram’s Vanlallura. Ishan Kashyap will face off against Kimkima. Meanwhile, Tridip Medhi will play against Mizoram’s Raymond. Mizoram’s Lalnunpuia will take on Kazakhstan’s Bekzhan Ramiyanov, and Denic Lalruattluange will play Asanali Nurmagambet from Kazakhstan.
Denic Lalruattluanga is a Pro Panja League athlete who gained prominence after his victory at the Asian Arm Wrestling Championship earlier this year.
Denic has been immensely popular in the region since achieving the feat, and the locals have spared no effort in showing their support for their champion.
This will be his next big fight against the international competitor Assanali Nurmagambet from Kazakhstan.
Expressing his enthusiasm for bringing the sport to the Northeast, co-founder of the Pro Panja League Parvinn Dabass said that he is delighted to see the kind of response the sport has received in Assam and other states of the region.
“We are excited to be a part of the Winter Festival and we are really proud of Denic to have witnessed his journey. We are also pleased to see the kind of love and reception he has received from everyone in the region. This event is sure to create a boom for arm wrestling in Mizoram,” he added.
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Expressing his gratitude for the league Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar stated, “Arm Wrestling is one of the most traditional sports in the country and its culture is deep-rooted. So, we are glad that it will be a part of the Winter Festival this year and are hopeful that Denic’s success will inspire a lot of youngsters to take up the sport in the coming years.”
