Arm wrestling grips India with glitzy dreams

Sylvester Stallone's 1987 film "Over the Top" made arm wrestling popular around the globe but the ancient sport in India remains rooted in Hindu mythology and is widely popular -- making Tawheed a local star. "The fame I got from arm wrestling helped me in my career as a gym trainer which in turn got me the cash," he said. "Pro Panja has changed arm wrestling," he said. League owners are confident of the growing popularity of arm wrestling after the success of Indian sports leagues including the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), which has made stars out of humble villagers. The PPL, like IPL, boasts of foreign coaches for all six teams -- mostly from Kazakhstan, where arm wrestling is widely popular.