Pune sets up a grand stage for 63rd Maharashtra Kesari

At least 900 wrestlers from different weight categories will be seen in action during the tournament with the final bout of Maharashtra Kesari (86-125kg) on January 7

Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex is all decked up for the 63rd edition of Maharashtra Kesari which will commence from Friday.

Wrestlers undergo medical check-up on Thursday. (Milind Saurkar/HT Photo)

The lush green football stadium has transformed itself into an akhada (wrestling ring) where two arenas of mud along with two arenas of mat have been set up in the middle of the stadium.

At least 900 wrestlers from different weight categories will be seen in action during the tournament with the final bout of Maharashtra Kesari (86-125kg) on January 7.

For Pune district, all eyes will be on Abhijit Katke, who will look win the title, after he had suffered defeat during the 2018 edition in Jalna. Bala Rafiq Shaikh defeated Katke last time.

“Abhijit Katke looks like a strong candidate for the title. I am not sure whether Bala Rafiq Shaikh will be participating or not because he suffered an injury recently,” said Kaka Pawar, a wrestling coach.

“Katke holds an edge over other competitors, but we have seen in past that any new wrestler can also spring a surprise, so I hope the 63rd edition will be an exciting contest,” added Pawar.

The lush green Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex has transformed itself into an akhada (wrestling ring) where two arenas of mud along with two arenas of mat have been set up in the middle of the stadium. (Milind Saurkar/HT Photo)

Former wrestler, Amol Buchade who had won this title in 2006, is happy with the way Maharashtra wrestlers are improving.

“Wrestlers today are more eager to take part in competitions and it was not so when I had won the title in 2006. Earlier, winning one Maharashtra Kesari title was enough,” said Buchade.

“Also, earlier our wrestlers had just started performing on the mat and hence, it was a big challenge for us, but now everything has changed. Our wrestlers are much more competitive on the mat,” added Buchade.

Day one will see wrestlers from 57kg, 79kg, 61kg, 70kg and 86kg in action.

Pune district team:

Maharashtra Kesari weight category (86-125kg): Abhijit Katke (86-125kg), , Deepak Mohite 86kg, Raju Tangade (92kg), Tejas Vanjale (97kg), Tanaji Zunzurke (86-125kg)

Sanket Thakur (57kg), Anudan Chavan (61kg), Bhalchandra Kumbhar (65 kg), Sagar Khopade (70kg), Ravindra Jagtap (74kg), Abhijit Bhoir (79kg), Vaibhav Tangade (86kg), Sagar Mohol (92kg), Chetan Kandhare (97kg)

Mud:

Kiran Shinde (57kg), Nikhil Kadam (61kg), Suraj Kokate (65kg), Akash Dube (70kg), Amar Mate (74kg), Vyankatesh Bankar (79kg)

63rd Maharashtra Kesari wrestling competition

Weight categories (wrestling on mud and mat): 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 79kg, 86kg, 92kg, 97kg and one Maharashtra Kesari weight category (ie 100 plus).

Number of wrestlers: 900

Number of referees: 125

Venue: Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex

Bouts date: January 3-7

Schedule:

January 3:

9am-12noon: Wrestling competitions- Category ‘A’ (57kg and 79kg)

12noon-1pm: Medical check-up and weights for Category ‘B’ (61kg, 70kg and 86kg)

4-6pm: wrestling competitions- Category ‘A’ and ‘B’ (57kg, 61kg, 70kg, 79 kg and 86kg)

6pm: Inauguration ceremony to be attended by Ajit Pawar

January 4:

8am-12noon: Wrestling competitions - Category ‘B’ (61kg, 70kg and 86kg)

12noon to 1pm: Medical check-up and weights for Category ‘C’ (74kg, 92kg and Maharashtra Kesari Weight Category)

4 to 7pm: wrestling competitions- Category ‘B’ and ‘C’ (61kg, 70kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and Maharashtra Kesari Weight Category)

January 5:

8am-12 noon: wrestling competitions- Category ‘C’ (74kg, 92kg and Maharashtra Kesari weight category)

12noon to 1pm: Medical check-up and weights for Category ‘D’ (65 Kg, 97 Kg)

4pm to 7pm-wrestling competitions- Category ‘C’ and ‘D’ (65kg, 74kg, 92 kg, 97kg and Maharashtra Kesari weight category)

January 6:

8am-12 noon- wrestling competitions- Category ‘C’ and ‘D’ (65kg, 74kg, 92 kg, 97kg and Maharashtra Kesari weight category)

4 to 7pm: Wrestling competitions- Category ‘C’ and ‘D’ (65kg, 74kg, 92kg, 97kg and Maharashtra Kesari weight category)

January 7:

9am-12 noon: wrestling competitions- Category ‘D’ (65kg, 97kg)

5pm: Maharashtra Kesari final and award ceremony in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray, chief minister, Maharashtra; Sharad Pawar, president, Maharashtra State Wrestling Association and Subhash Desai, sports minister, Maharashtra.

Presence of bigwigs

Opening ceremony: Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra to inaugurate the tournament on January 3 at 6pm

Closing ceremony: Uddhav Thackeray, chief minister of Maharashtra; Sharad Pawar, president, Maharashtra State Wrestling Association and Subhash Desai, sports minister, Maharashtra on January 7 at 5pm

Past winners since year 2000:

2000, Khamgaon, Buldhana: Vinod Choughle

2001, Nanded: Rahul Kalbhor

2002, Jalana: Munnalal Shaikh

2003, Yavatmal: Dattatray Gaikwad

2004, Washi: Chandrahans Nimgire

2005, Indapur: Saeed Chous

2006, Baramati: Amol Buchade

2007, Aurangabad: Chandrahar Patil

2008, Sangli: Chandrahar Patil

2009, Sangvi, Pune: Vicky Bankar

2010, Roha, Raigad: Samadhan Ghodke

2011, Akluj: Narsingh Yadav

2012, Gondia: Narsingh Yadav

2013, Bhosari: Narsingh Yadav

2014, Ahmednagar, Vijay Choudhary

2015, Nagpur: Vijay Choudhary

2016, Warje, Pune: Vijay Choudhary

2017, Bhugaon, Pune: Abhijeet Katke

2018, Jalna, Bala Rafiq Shaikh