January 26 marks the date Vridhi Kumari Singhvi bested Nurzhamal Sadykova to become the first woman from India to win a match at the amateur world championships.
Singhvi began her MMA journey training at Combat Kinetics Academy in Nungambakkam. There, she trains with Ajit Sigmani, a pioneer in South India’s MMA scene.
At first, her presence at the gym was strange. She is the daughter of a businessman and a college student with no prior training in the sport.
Sigmani and other gym members doubted her desire to really become a fighter. But over time, they learned that Singhvi is in it for the long run.
The notion to fight came from her criminology studies and a documentary about Olympic bronze medalist MC Mary Kom. Through fierce training, Singhvi proved that fighting is her passion. And for two years, she remained dedicated to her gym.
She won five fights—two via submission—and won gold in a national championship before reaching IMMAF. Her coach praises her tenacity and grit in the cage.
The ultimate test of her career, so far, came at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation world tournament. And on that day, she made history.
At the IMAFF quarter-finals in Abu Dhabi, Singhvi wins against Kazakhstan’s strawweight bronze and silver medalist, Nurzhamal Sadykova.
However, the next day ended differently.
Although she lost her semi-final match to Irish fighter Nadine Bisette, Singvhi never gave up on herself and anticipates her next match. She took home the bronze medal, and her team could not be more proud.
“Even in her loss, she was always thinking about what she needed to do. She didn’t panic at any moment. But it also showed that while she’s made huge strides in the past couple of years, there’s still a very long way to go,” says coach Sigamani, according to ESPN.
Singhvi is more proof of what women can accomplish. She is aware of her need to improve and allows the loss to serve as a motivator.
The 22-year-old wishes to one day join the professional ranks.
MMA still has a while to go as far as acknowledgment in India, but rare souls like Vridhi Kumari Singhvi certainly bring more attention to it.
What are your thoughts on Vridhi Kumari Singhvi’s historical win?
