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Plea filed in court to halt contest over ‘Maharashtra Kesari’ title
ISWAI and Maharashtra Rajya Bhartiya Shaili Kusti Sangha have filed a petition in Pune District Court seeking to halt a wrestling tournament scheduled to be held in Wagholi from March 18 to 22
Pune: The controversy over the prestigious “Maharashtra Kesari” title has reached the legal arena with a petition filed in the Pune District Court seeking to halt a wrestling tournament scheduled to be held in Wagholi from March 18 to 22. The tournament is being organised by the Maharashtra Rajya Kushtigir Sangh, led by Ramdas Tadas. However, the event has been opposed by the Indian Style Wrestling Association of India (ISWAI) and the Maharashtra Rajya Bhartiya Shaili Kusti Sangha, which claim that the organisers are using the “Maharashtra Kesari” title without authorisation.
The petitioners argue that the title has historically been associated with competitions organised by recognised traditional wrestling bodies. Allowing multiple organisations to hold events under the same name, they say, could create confusion among wrestlers and fans and dilute the identity of the historic championship.
The petition filed in the court on Friday is expected to be heard on Monday.
Gaurav Sachdeva, general secretary, ISWAI, said that the association has been organising prestigious wrestling titles such as Hind Kesari, Bharat Kesari and Rustam-e-Hind since 1958. “These titles are registered trademarks and hold significant value and respect in the wrestling community,” he said.
Sachdeva said that an authorised Maharashtra Kesari event had been planned in Saswad in Pune district by the Maharashtra Rajya Bhartiya Shaili Kusti Sangha, which is affiliated with ISWAI. However, the event has been temporarily put on hold due to the ongoing dispute and a new schedule will be announced later.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Rajya Kushtigir Sangh issued a notice on March 3 announcing that the 68th Senior State Wrestling Championship and Maharashtra Kesari competition would be held in Wagholi between March 18 and 22, 2026. According to the notice, winners of the tournament would receive government recognition, benefits under government schemes and opportunities to compete at the national level.
The notice also warned that another “Maharashtra Kesari” event planned in Saswad from March 12 was unauthorised. It stated that wrestlers participating in that event would not be eligible for government benefits and could be barred from taking part in competitions recognised by the association. The notice was issued by Yogesh Dodke, secretary, Kushtigir Sangh.
Reacting to the claims, ISWAI denied the allegations and said that describing its event as “bogus” was false and misleading. The association said it has approached the Pune District Court seeking a stay order against the Wagholi tournament, arguing that the organisers have no affiliation or authority from ISWAI to conduct a competition using the historic title.
Sachdeva also pointed out that a case was filed in the Delhi High Court in 2022 against a Maharashtra wrestling body for allegedly using the Hind Kesari title illegally. According to him, the court ruled against the body and imposed a fine of ₹3 lakh.
Explaining the distinction between wrestling titles, Sachdeva said the “Kesari” title traditionally relates to Indian mud wrestling (mitti kushti), while championships usually refer to competitions held on mats.
ISWAI officials said the association had granted affiliation to a Maharashtra wrestling body led by Mahasaheb Mohol in 1958, which continued until 2021, after which the affiliation was cancelled. In 2023–24, the Maharashtra Rajya Bhartiya Shaili Kusti Sangha received official affiliation from ISWAI and is currently the only recognised body associated with it in the state.
The association has urged wrestlers, coaches and sports enthusiasts not to be influenced by rumours and reiterated its commitment to protecting the legacy of traditional Indian wrestling.
The Maharashtra Kesari title is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honours in traditional wrestling in the state. Wrestlers often train for 15 to 20 years before reaching the level required to compete for the title, and only one wrestler is crowned Maharashtra Kesari each year.
In recent years, however, multiple wrestling organisations in Maharashtra have claimed the right to organise the Maharashtra Kesari tournament, resulting in parallel events being planned under the same title. Veteran wrestlers say only one official Maharashtra Kesari competition should be held annually to preserve the legacy of the historic title.
