Sangram Singh on entering MMA at 40: 'Competing with kids whose fathers I once wrestled'

Sangram Singh shares that he was just three when he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors had informed his parents that he’d never walk again, but his mother refused to accept that. “She wasn’t educated, but she believed in nature. She massaged me 15 times a day — sometimes with ghee, sometimes with mustard oil. Slowly, I started recovering,” he recollects. From dragging himself across the floor to becoming a Commonwealth Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Singh’s story is built on discipline. 

At 40, he became the first Indian wrestler to enter professional mixed martial arts (MMA) and win. “People said MMA is for 20-somethings. But I beat boys half my age. I’m now competing with kids whose fathers I once wrestled.” Singh believes fitness is possible at any age. “If you’ve never worked out, start now, even if it is just walking, walk for a few minutes. Move your body. You don’t need fancy equipment, all you need is consistency.”