Talented wrestler Sikandar Shaikh finds support in quest to attain glory for India in international tournaments

Wrestler Sikandar Shaikh, who has won the prestigious Maharashtra Kesari title recently, is working hard to make his mark on the national and international level after conquering the akhadas in his state.

Sikandar, 24, won the Under-23 Nationals gold medal back in 2019 and has now got the support of the Punit Balan Group (PBG) to fuel his Olympic dream. He is also focused on breaking into the Indian team for international tournaments with an eye on the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

Originally hailing from Solapur, Sikandar comes from a family of wrestlers and both his father and grandfather were accomplished wrestlers. Sikandar began wrestling at the age of 14 and has been training at the Gandwish Talim in Kolhapur.

“I am extremely thankful to Punit Balan Sir and his team for their support in helping me pursue my dream of winning medals on the international stage. This financial support will help me get quality training support and also fund my travel to competitions,” said Sikandar.

He will receive initial support of ₹15 lakh per year for the next three years, bearing his training and other expenses from the Punit Balan Group and will look to make a mark in various national and international tournaments.

Speaking about the decision to support Sikandar, chairman and managing director of PBG, Punit Balan said: “Wrestling is an extremely popular sport in Maharashtra and has given the country numerous international stars including independent India’s first individual Olympics medallist in Khashaba Jadhav.

“Punit Balan Group is committed to providing much-needed support to Indian athletes, helping them grow in their careers and bring medals for the country. Sikandar Shaikh is a very talented wrestler who has the potential to win medals for India in major international tournaments and I am confident that with this support he can achieve all his dreams.”

PBG’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and growth is aligned perfectly with the world of philanthropy and sports. The group has been supporting close to 60 talented athletes across sports including tennis player Rutuja Bhosale, para-badminton star Arati Patil, cricketer Ankit Bawne and rising archer Vaishnavi Pawar among many others.