At 12, she was eve-teased: Suchika is now India’s first Asian Games MMA medallist

Varun Sanyal, a 77kg MMA fighter from India, has been declared medically unfit to compete in the Asian Games due to dizziness experienced during a sauna session for weight cutting. The athlete, who weighed 77kg, passed out at the sauna facility after feeling dizzy and experiencing muscle cramps. According to a medical report, Varun suffered dizziness, lightheadedness, and muscle cramps 30 minutes after taking a sauna.

Varun was aided by a fellow athlete and the MMA India president, Nikhil Kunder, before being taken to a doctor and subsequently declared unfit for the competition.

This is a significant setback for India, as Varun was one of the two Indian MMA fighters in the Asian Games squad. The other fighter, Suchika Tariyal, won her quarter-final bout and secured a medal for India, advancing to the semi-finals in the women’s 60kg event.

Varun Sanyal, a bronze medallist at the Asian championships in China in January 2026, entered the Asian Games with high hopes of securing another medal. A graduate in business management honors from Queen's Mary University of London, Varun's interest in combat sports was sparked by WWE, TNA, and Indian wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt's success in the 2012 London Olympics. He credits his supportive family, especially his father Sanjeev Sanyal, for instilling a strong work ethic and passion for martial arts.

Despite the disappointment, Varun sees the Asian Games as an opportunity for MMA to gain more prominence in India. His journey to the Asian Games has been marked by rigorous training and adapting to the sport's demanding nature.