Ahmedabad, May 23 (IANS) More than 2,000 athletes from 27 states are expected to participate in the fourth National Armwrestling and Para Armwrestling Championship 2026 at Gujarat’s Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), making it the largest edition of the national event so far, officials said.

Officials on Friday added that this is the first time the championship will be hosted on the university’s campus at Lavad in Gandhinagar.

The championship will be organised jointly by the People’s Armwrestling Federation India (PAFI), the Armwrestling Federation of Gujarat and RRU from May 29 to June 2.

Organisers said the event is being held pursuant to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of strengthening India’s sports culture and reviving the country’s civilisational values and ethos through sporting initiatives.

The inaugural ceremony scheduled for May 30 will see the participation of several leading figures associated with the sport, including PAFI President Preeti Jhangiani, Pro Panja League owner Praveen Dabas and representatives of the Armwrestling Association of Gujarat, including General Secretary Rajender Singh Parmar and Treasurer Mayank Patel.

Organisers said the scale of this year’s event reflects the growing popularity of armwrestling and para armwrestling across India.

The third PAFI National Armwrestling Championship, held in Kerala’s Thrissur had recorded participation from around 1,700 athletes representing 25 states.

The upcoming edition at RRU is expected to exceed that figure with representation from 27 states and more than 2,000 competitors.

Participation data released ahead of the event indicates that the Northeastern states will send the largest contingent with nearly 350 athletes.

Kerala is expected to field 289 participants, while Uttar Pradesh will send around 140 athletes. Host state, Gujarat, is expected to have a contingent of 105 athletes.

The RRU said the championship underlines its commitment to promoting physical education and sporting excellence at the national level through its School of Physical Education and Sports.

“The event also carries added significance following remarks made by President Droupadi Murmu during the university’s fifth convocation ceremony, where she appreciated the institution’s contribution to sports and physical education and congratulated RRU student N. Roshibina Devi for her achievements in international competitions, including the Asian Games in Wushu,” officials added.

Officials noted the championship forms part of RRU’s broader efforts to strengthen its institutional capacity to organise major sporting events ahead of its role as host institution for the 2029 World Police and Fire Games.

The initiative also aligns with Gujarat’s expanding role in India’s sports ecosystem and Ahmedabad’s long-term vision linked to the country’s aspiration to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Describing the championship as a landmark event for the university, organisers said the competition would bring together athletes, para-athletes, sports administrators and officials from across the country on a single platform while furthering the development of armwrestling as a competitive sport in India.

–IANS

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