The iconic Indian biscuit brand, Parle-G, has partnered with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) to support the Wrestling Champions Programme, an initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing wrestling talent in India. The collaboration will provide world-class training support to over 150 wrestlers across two IIS campuses in Vijayanagar and Hisar. The partnership is expected to give a significant boost to the sport of wrestling in India, particularly in Haryana, a region with a rich history in the sport.
The partnership has already shown promise, with the two organizations hosting the Haryana Dangal Championship in Hisar earlier this year. The event was a first-of-its-kind wrestling tournament organized by IIS in the state and drew a strong local turnout. IIS’s first Olympic success came from a Haryanvi wrestler, Sakshi Malik, who won a historic Bronze in the 2016 Rio Games.
According to Manisha Malhotra, President of IIS, the partnership brings together two icons of Indian culture to build something meaningful. She emphasized that the focus on Haryana will strengthen grassroots engagement and enhance high-performance pathways for future Olympic champions. Mayank Shah, Vice President of Parle Products, shared that wrestling is a symbol of India’s grit and grassroots glory, and the partnership will support the next generation of champions.
The partnership will provide access to Asia’s only BASES Accredited Sports Science Laboratory, as well as technical support from United World Wrestling, the global governing body for wrestling. Parle-G also shot an announcement video at the IIS campus in Vijayanagara, which involved IIS coaches and athletes. The collaboration is part of a larger effort by IIS to bring private players into the fold and build sustainable, athlete-first programs. The partnership signals a growing interest among legacy Indian brands to invest in high-performance and grassroots sports.