Umaisar Gul Ganie
Anantnag, Jan 24: An Anantnag-based mixed martial arts player has brought laurels to Jammu and Kashmir by winning two gold medals in amateur bouts across two states and is now set to compete at the professional level.
Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Sidrat ul Muntaha, a 22-year-old athlete said that he began his sporting journey in 2014. After undergoing a year of formal training, he competed at district- and state-level events before qualifying for national-level trials in 2015, where he went on to win several medals and titles.
The fighter has trained and competed in multiple martial arts disciplines, including kickboxing, wushu, taekwondo and other combat sports.
In 2017, he represented India at an International Taekwondo Championship held in Thailand, where he competed with athletes from several countries and won a silver medal.
He said his long-term goal was to compete in Mixed Martial Arts, as the sport combines multiple fighting styles. In 2021, he formally transitioned to MMA.
Following the switch, Muntaha registered two consecutive gold-medal victories in amateur MMA bouts held in Delhi and Gujarat during the Indian Fighting Championship-2, conducted over the past two months.
He said he has completed his graduation in the Arts stream and credited his coach for consistent training and support throughout his career. Currently competing at the amateur level, he said he would soon begin his professional MMA career, where fighters compete for prize money.
In his message to the youth, Muntaha urged aspiring sportspersons to come forward and participate actively in sports. “Sports help maintain good physical health and keep you away from negative social influences,” he said—(KNO)
