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Sheru Classic 2026 concluded at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, after three days that drew close to 1.5 lakh visitors and around 250 participants from five countries. India's biggest health and fitness festival has become one of the surest routes for home-grown talent to reach the world stage.
Founded by Sheru Aangrish, Sheru Classic now runs across nine countries and partners with the IFBB Pro League and NPC, with shows and expos in markets including the United States, the United Kingdom and the UAE. It staged Asia's first IFBB professional bodybuilding show in 2011, and through the IHFF and its competitions, it has carried Indian athletes onto the international circuit, including the Mr Olympia, according to a press release. Aangrish's story runs through the sport. A former Mr India from Ludhiana, Punjab, he trained from a young age alongside his elder brother Hemant and competed at the top level of professional bodybuilding before studying in the UK and completing an MBA in Finance at King's College London. Over close to two decades, he has built Sheru Classic from a single show into the platform it is today. The festival's newest backer is JKC Sports, the JK Group's sports venture, which has invested in Sheru Classic Universe to help take the platform global and widen the route for Make-in-India talent. JKC Sports was launched in 2025 by Raghavpat Singhania and Madhav Singhania of JK Cement, and works across sports infrastructure, technology and fitness. "Beyond the investment itself, we see Sheru Classic as a platform for Make-in-India talent to reach a global stage," said Madhav Singhania, CEO and Joint Managing Director, JK Cement and Co-Founder, JKC Sports. "We want to build a clear pathway from India to the world, not only through Olympia but through new platforms across technology, infrastructure and fitness IPs." "India is a young nation on its way to becoming a global superpower, and fitness, health and wellness will be the differentiator that makes this generation more productive and more invested in nation-building," he said. "Nation-building has been the JK Group's philosophy for decades. Through JKC Sports, we now see sport and fitness as a future pillar of our growth." For Aangrish, the backing answers a long-standing gap. "For years, Indian athletes have had the talent but not always the platform," he said. "JKC Sports coming on board helps us change that, and carry more of our home-grown talent from the gym floor here to the biggest stages in the world." (ANI)
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