IT team leader by profession, national arm wrestler by passion

KOCHI: Rahul Panicker, who has been in the IT field for 12 years, is at a special juncture. If he wins the National Championship (Pro Panja League) to be held in Delhi from 28th of this month, it will be his 10th national title in a row.

Rahul has been an Arm wrestling champion since Plus Two. His first coach was Mukundan of Edappally Life Gym. So far 300 competitions at district, state and national levels. He won the crown 10 times each at the district and state levels and nine times at the national level. Rahul has competed in the world championship twice and won a silver medal in the Asian Championship.

In the national championships held in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Hyderabad, the opponents conceded defeat in front of the 35-year-old's strength.

Team leader in an IT firm

Rahul is a team leader at NeST Digital, an IT firm in Kakkanad. Arm wrestling is practiced along with the office rush. Wife Dr. Arya. They got a daughter named Vaishnavi who is three-and-a-half-year-old.

Pro Panja League

Earlier arm wrestling competitions were conducted by Indian Arm Wrestling Foundation. The competitions are being organized by the People's Armwrestling Federation of India under the World Armwrestling Federation from this year. The champions who win this can qualify for the World Championship. The matches are on the IPL model.