Varun Sanyal will represent India in MMA at Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan; MMA debuts at Asian Games in Japan

B-school graduate Varun Sanyal, India’s Asian Games 2026 MMA entry, inspired by Rocky Balboa, WWE

Varun is the son of eminent economist Sanjeev Sanyal and is a first-class business management honours graduate from Queen Mary University of London.

A bronze medallist at the Asian Championships in the People’s Republic of China in January this year, Varun Sanyal will carry India’s hopes in Mixed Martial Arts ( MMA ) at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.

MMA will be making its Asian Games debut in Japan.

Now a professional, Varun is part of a two-member Indian team that will represent the country in a sport that is fast gaining popularity in Asia. Suchika Tariyal Hooda, who represented India at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games in kurash, will feature in the 60kg division for women.

Varun, a first-class business management honours graduate from Queen Mary University of London, will feature in the men’s traditional 77kg division in Aichi-Nagoya.

His initial interest in combat sports was influenced by WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and TNA (Total Nonstop Action).

A Rocky Balboa fan, Varun’s interest deepened after watching Indian wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt succeed at the London 2012 Olympics .

“Seeing our Olympians succeed really drew me towards martial arts and eventually towards MMA,” Varun told SAI Media. “MMA is, in many ways, the most primal form of sport and competition, so I was naturally drawn to it. It’s also a life skill.

“Learning how to defend yourself, stay calm under pressure and make decisions when you’re under physical threat are incredibly important skills. Having to make decisions under pressure, sometimes with very serious consequences, has been one of the biggest learnings I’ve taken from MMA.”

Varun comes from a distinguished family with a strong intellectual and public-service background. He is the son of Sanjeev Sanyal, noted economist, author and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, and Smita Barooah.

His family also has a significant legacy associated with India’s freedom movement, with his great-granduncle Sachindranath Sanyal being a prominent revolutionary.

Varun Sanyal’s journey in MMA is distinctive not only for his achievements in the sport but also for the diverse sporting background that shaped his development.

Growing up in Singapore, he dabbled in cricket , football , athletics , squash and powerlifting before progressing to wrestling, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and ultimately MMA.

“Growing up, I remember my father taking me out to the field and kicking a football around with me. He would take me to play squash, we’d sometimes go on random runs, and he’d make us do exercises together,” Varun noted.

“Even when I was very young, he put me into taekwondo classes, although I wasn’t particularly interested in it at the time. As I grew up, whether it was playing cricket, going to the gym, or getting into powerlifting, he was always very supportive.

“MMA took him a little bit of time to come around to, but I can’t deny how supportive he’s been throughout my journey. When it comes to MMA, he’s always discussing it with me and trying to understand the sport a little more. He’s supportive in whatever way he can be,” said Varun.

Asian Games, Varun feels, can be a game-changer for the sport in India.

“The pathway has been a little bumpy. I won the MMA SFI Nationals in 2025, which qualified me for the Asian Championships in January 2026 in China, where I won a bronze medal. That meant I was officially ranked within the Asian system.

“At the time, though, it wasn’t particularly clear who had qualified for the Asian Games or what the qualification process was going to look like. There wasn’t much clarity from the Asian side about how the qualification process would work. So rather than sitting around waiting, I decided to focus on my professional career.

“Eventually, I received final confirmation that I would be going to the Asian Games just two weeks before the Games themselves. So, obviously, preparing mentally and physically for something of this magnitude in such a short period has been quite a challenge. But I suppose that’s part of sport. That’s what sport is,” revealed Varun.

India’s complete Asian Games 2026 schedule

Asian Games 2026 sports list