Parle-G, one of India’s most iconic biscuit brand, has teamed up with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) to sponsor the Wrestling Champions Programme, an effort aimed at finding and fostering potential in the sport.
The collaboration spans IIS campuses in Vijayanagar and Hisar and is already off to a great start. Earlier this year, the two collaborated to hold the Haryana Dangal Championship in Hisar, a first-of-its-kind wrestling competition hosted by IIS in the state. The tournament received a large local attendance and was viewed as a critical step towards enhancing the wrestling environment in Haryana, a region with a long history of sports. Haryana has contributed the most medals to the country in multi-sport competitions, and the Wrestling Champions Programme will help to build on that achievement.
Notably, IIS’s first Olympic triumph came from a Haryanvi wrestler, Sakshi Malik, who defeated the odds to earn a historic bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games.
Manisha Malhotra, President IIS, said, “Parle-G is a legacy brand, and wrestling is a legacy sport. This partnership brings together two icons of Indian culture to build something truly meaningful. With a deep focus on Haryana — the hotbed of Indian wrestling — we are not only strengthening grassroots engagement but also enhancing high-performance pathways for future Olympic champions.”
Mayank Shah, Vice President, Parle Products, commented, “Wrestling is more than a sport; it’s a symbol of India’s grit and grassroots glory. At Parle-G, we have always believed in nurturing potential, and through this partnership with IIS, we are proud to support the next generation of champions. Just like Parle-G has been a part of every Indian’s childhood, we now hope to be part of every wrestler’s journey to greatness.”
The collaboration between Parle G and IIS will offer excellent training support to over 150 wrestlers (both freestyle and Greco roman) throughout the two centres, including access to Asia’s only BASES Accredited Sports Science Laboratory and technical assistance from United World Wrestling, the world’s governing body for wrestling.
The partnership also saw Parle-G record an announcement video on the IIS campus in Vijayanagara. The filming included IIS trainers and players, providing a glimpse at daily life at one of India’s premier training facilities.
Parle-G’s engagement demonstrates a rising interest by legacy Indian businesses in investing in high-performance and grassroots sports. IIS sees the cooperation as part of a wider drive to bring private players into the fold and develop sustainable, athlete-first programs.
