Move over BA, MA, these girls want a place in MMA

Swati Badwal’s career in mixed martial arts (MMA) started with a ‘fight’ at home. The 20-year-old from tiny Gopeshwar in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district got interested in the sport after reading about MMA specialist Angad Bisht in a social media post. But when she declared her intent to start training at his academy in state capital Dehradun, she was cornered.Swati had lost her father to Covid in 2020, and her mother, a government employee, wanted her to finish college and find a job. The men of her extended family were also dead set against her plan. “My grandfather and uncle were worried when they learnt that MMA involves punching and kicking. They told me, ‘Nobody will marry you... What if your face gets banged up?’”Luckily, Swati was able to bring her mother around. “I explained the sport to her and convinced her that I can develop a career in it and bring glory to the family.” Her 11-year-old brother and 14-year-old sister stood solidly behind her. And so, Swati came to Dehradun last November. “I have my mother’s support and I’m glad my younger siblings are proud of their didi,” the 2nd-year BCom student told TOI.Medium108406344 There are at least seven other girls at Angad’s Mutant MMA Training Academy, and many others in MMA academies spread across the hill state. Doesn’t the boxing, kicking and grappling in MMA faze them? It has the opposite effect, says 18-year-old Sanvi Negi from Tehri Garhwal who now lives in Dehradun with her family.“I was always into outdoor sports in school. I used to play football with boys, and after finishing school I wanted to be involved in sports, but not the usual ones. I was looking for something different to earn a name in society,” says the first-year BCA student, adding that MMA had what she was looking for.But she too had to face resistance at home. Sanvi’s mother, an Anganwadi worker, at first refused to let her train for MMA. She had lost her husband to tuberculosis when Sanvi was five, and had brought up her two children with her brother’s help. But she relented after Sanvi showed her around Angad’s academy.That day was a turning point for Sanvi: “I decided to train to become a professional fighter, to bring laurels for my state and country.” The combat sport has already made its mark on her college life. “Boys don’t dare to misbehave with me or my friends now... When I walk down the college corridor, they say things like, ‘Don’t mess with her, she is an MMA fighter’.”Unlike Swati and Sanvi, Shivani Barmara was already a lawyer and yoga instructor when she decided to train for MMA at Angad’s academy last November. The 26-year-old from Pauri Garhwal district says MMA has increased her self-confidence.Medium108406345 “Absorbing all the punches and kicks while training has made me physically and mentally tougher. It has changed my overall approach towards life... I can now fight for myself in any male-dominated public space, and defend others too.”Angad, 27, agrees the sport has a life-changing effect on girls. “They always have a never-say-die approach towards life... Nothing can stop them.” His success is partly the reason for Uttarakhand girls’ growing interest in MMA. As Swati says, “I came to know about MMA after reading about our trainer in a social media post. Then I thought, why not train for this sport? There are hardly any female MMA fighters from the hills to date.”At 32, Geeta Ariyal from Bareilly is a somewhat late entrant at Angad’s academy, but she is inspired by MMA’s global appeal and wants to take it up as a career. To remain fighting fit she is extra careful with her diet. “As it is a full combat sport, we understand the importance of nutrition and fitness to withstand the strenuous training routine. We stress on protein in our daily diet. Green leafy vegetables, milk products, meat and dry fruits are a must.”The girls have made a brave choice, but is MMA a viable career? Bhumi Jagwan, 23, from Rudraprayag district is gung-ho. She manages the academy’s cafe and social media, but more importantly she understands cash flow.“Once a player establishes her name after winning amateur events, she gets to fight in professional tournaments where she can earn anywhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2.5 lakh, depending on her stature in the ring,” says Bhumi who left her accountant job at a private hospital for MMA training.