Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 22: Toyam Industries Ltd. (TIL) is pleased to announce the appointment of its CMD, Mr. Mohamedali Budhwani, as the Chairperson of the Mixed Martial Arts Federation of India (MMAFI). This appointment is valid for tenure of 5 years.
Commenting on the development, Mohamedali Budhwani (CMD– TIL) said, “I am thrilled and wholeheartedly welcome the appointment. Sports, and MMA in particular, is very close to my heart. The awareness of sports and fitness has witnessed a massive growth in India, thanks to the increased interest from the corporate world and digital penetration, which has made viewing of sports more accessible to the average Indian. Sports, which Indians were engaging into merely for entertainment purposes is now also being seriously considered as a professional option. Being a sports enthusiast myself, I am extremely happy to see this growing awareness.”
“While a plethora of sports activities have started getting their due acknowledgement, a few (like MMA) yet continue to struggle to get their due credit. As a company, this is precisely what we intend changing over the next few years. One of the reasons for this lack of acknowledgement has also been the absence of a credible federation taking up the onus of increasing awareness and pitching for recognition for the sport. With my appointment as the Chairperson of the MMAFI, I aim to correct this anomaly. I have been closely interacting with the federation, sharing ideas on how we could increase the visibility for this sport. For instance, our maiden venture, “Kumite1 Warrior Hunt”, to be showcased on the largest free-to-air platform (MX Player) is our humble attempt to reach out to even those athletes who may not be privileged enough to afford viewing subscription platforms. In our endeavour to provide a platform to MMA athletes whose potential remain untapped, I am happy to share that “Kumite1 Warrior Hunt” has received a very encouraging response for their registrations from various parts of the country. I have no doubts that we will set a new benchmark in the combat sports industry going forward.”
“I sincerely thank MMAFI and its president, Mayur Bansode, for considering me to be fit to play the role. It’s a huge responsibility and I shall endeavour to honour it”.
Commenting on the development, Mayur Bansode (President – MMAFI) said “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Budhwani as the Chairperson of the federation. We believe that Mr. Budhwani will contribute significantly with his MMA expertise and strong network within the MMA fraternity. Under his able guidance, the federation aims to gain nationwide recognition and help the federation reach out to the untapped talent across India. Not only do we have grand plans on how to get various states to affiliate with us and provide better access to huge untapped talent but, at an appropriate stage, we also intend approaching the sports ministry to pitch for recognition for the federation. Not only would this recognition aid our authenticity but would also act as a catalyst to our MMA visibility strategies”.
About Toyam Industries Ltd.
Toyam Industries Ltd. (TIL) is the only publicly (BSE) listed company, run passionately by sports enthusiasts, engaged in sports promotion and management. TIL successfully conducted the “Kumite-1 League” in the presence of legendary Mike Tyson and is now implementing the league’s vision through its reality TV show, “Kumite-1 Warrior Hunt.”
About Mixed Martial Arts Federation of India.
Mixed Martial Arts Federation of India is a National Federation of MMA for Amateur and Professional MMA sports and governing MMA body in India. The Federation comprises MMA athletes, coaches, and officials from India and works as a non-profit organization. MMAFI is registered in MSME in 2019 and MCA in 2021 with the support of 15 states at the beginning.