Enjoy wrestling bouts today, reward favourites digitally

CASHLESS DANGAL

THERE WILL be no currency garlands and cash purses from admiring fans for their favourite wrestlers at this dangal.

The event, which will be held here on Tuesday, is being promoted by the Chandigarh Administration, the organiser, as the first “cashless” dangal in the country at which spectators can transfer money to the men on the mat through digital modes. “The aim to hold dangal in this way is to send a message that when a rural sport can be organised in a cashless way, why not other things,” said Home Secretary Anurag Aggarwal.

The bank accounts and Aadhaar numbers of all the 18 national-level wrestlers participating in the dangal are already up on the administration’s Cashless Dangal 2017 app. A fan wishing to reward his favourite wrestler will need to download the app, and transfer the money through an e-wallet.

“People who will shower money on our wrestlers at the end of the match, even if it is a very small amount, will do so in a cashless manner. Nobody needs to come with even a single rupee in his pocket,” the Home Secretary added.

In all, there are going to be seven matches, beginning at 3 pm, the last match being the ‘jhandi kushti’. Hitesh Kala from Haryana and Gaurav Macchiwara from Punjab will fight in the main bout for a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Vijay Mor and Lovepreet will take each other on for the next big cash prize of Rs 21,000.

Other cash prizes are of Rs 5,100, Rs 3,100 and Rs 2,100. The prizes too will be transferred digitally.

Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and actor Ayushmann Khurrana are to be the celebrity guests at the event. Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan too will be present. There is no entry fee for the dangal, which will be held at the Sector 17 football stadium.