The Maharashtra Kusti League was launched in January this year but finally it is set to roll on the floors from Friday. Wrestling has always been a popular sport in Maharashtra, and Zee Talkies has created a franchise-based format of this traditional sport — the Maharashtra Kusti Dangal. The tournament will be held from November 2 to 18 at the Balewadi Stadium, Pune with six teams participating in it.
One of the oldest sports ever known, wrestling has evolved over the centuries and has been an integral part of the Olympic Games since 708 BC. It is an emerging trend among athletes today, especially Kusti, a traditional form of wrestling, a sport in which India has a rich heritage.
In more recent times, there have been many great achievements that have helped the Nation reach its peak of glory. Sushil Kumar’s Bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and Silver at London, Yogeshwar Dutt’s Bronze, young women wrestlers like (Phogats) Geeta, Babita, Vinesh, and Sakshi Malik’s glorious wins at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.
This format will showcase ace Kusti champs - State, National, International men and women players. The six teams will be Veer Marathvada, Kolhapuri Mavale, Vidharbhache Vaagh, Yashwant Satara, Puneri Ustad & Mumbai Astra and all playoffs will be hosted at one central venue: Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, nicknamed Balewadi Stadium, at Pune. Each Franchise will play a definite of 10 matches in the league stage, and the matches will be played as per WFI regulations.
Maharashtra & Kusti have been inseparable. A journey that began with Shahu Maharaj and his love for the sport, to Rahul Aware from Maharashtra bagging the Gold Medal in the Commonwealth Games this year - Maharashtrian wrestlers have made India proud across the globe!
