Bodybuilding contest from November 27

India’s top 30 bodybuilders will be flexing their muscles on November 27-28 in the biennial Talwalkars Classique Invitation Bodybuilding Competition. The finals are to be conducted at the iconic Shree Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Shanmukhananda Auditorium for the first time.

The competition will be held under the aegis of Indian Body Builders Federation (IBBF) and the Maharashtra Bodybuilding Association. With a whopping Rs 20 lakh as prize money on offer, the event is likely to be very competitive. The first winner will be awarded Rs 6 lakh as prize money, a trophy and citation. The IBBF is the apex body for the sport, which is recognised by the Government of India’s ministry of youth affairs and sports.

The event will also witness a competition for mixed pairs where the top pair will stand to gain a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. The idea in holding this event is to motivate couples to take up to exercise and keep themselves fit, says octogenarian Madhukar Tawalkar, the well-known ‘Fitness Guru’ in the country and the patriarch of the chain of Talwalkars Better Value Fitness Ltd centres spread all over India. For over six decades, Talwalkar has been a mentor and has also provided financial support to many a top-notch bodybuilder in the country.

The favourites for the title would be Maharashtra’s Mahendra Jadhav who won a gold medal in the recently held Mr. World Competition in Mongolia. He will face a stiff challenge from three-time Mr. India, Suneet Jadhav his teammate. Mr India and International Athlete Yatinder Singh from UP, Akshay Mogarkar from the home state and veterans like Bobby Singh (Indian Railways) too will be raring to have a go at the top spot.

The Talwalkar Classique has over the years been a prestigious event for the top musclemen from the country and a place in the top 10 is seen as a fair indicator of their talent.

The runner-up will be presented an award of Rs 3 lakh and the tenth placed player will receive Rs 50,000.