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INTERNATIONAL: SPORTS / FIRST INDIAN: Find out about Puja ‘The Cyclone’ Tomar , the MMA Fighter who became the ‘First Indian to win a UFC bout’

The 28-year-old MMA fighter has been an advocate for women in sports.

The MMA contest between Puja Tomar of India and Rayanne Amanda dos Santos of Brazil at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on Sunday morning was all about jabs, crosses and kicks. Tomar made history, becoming the first Indian to win a UFC match.

Fans tuned in to see Tomar, who has earned herself the title of “Cyclone”, compete in her debut UFC match at 2.30am India time.

While it did seem like the 28-year-old from Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, was being cornered, her adrenaline got the better of her as she went into the last round screaming, “Come on, come on!” and throwing kicks at her opponent. The nerve-wracking three rounds and 15 minutes ended in a split-decision win for Tomar. The scorecard: 30-27, 27-30, 29-28.

My Kolkata lists a few milestones in Cyclone Tomar’s path to the UFC win:

National Wushu Champion

Puja began her combat sports career with wushu, where she excelled and won five national titles. Her success in wushu provided a strong foundation in striking and agility — skills she now uses in her MMA career.

Transition to MM

In 2012, Puja switched to mixed martial arts, debuting with the now-defunct Super Fight League (SFL) in India. She made an impactful start, securing a victory in her first fight, which marked the beginning of her successful career in MMA. She participated in other championships, including Matrix Fight Night and ONE Championship.

Matrix Fight Night Success

After facing four consecutive losses in ONE Championship, Puja joined Matrix Fight Night (MFN) in 2021. She won four bouts in MFN, including a title defence against Russia’s Anastasia Feofanova in July. Her resilience and performance in MFN revitalised her career.

First Indian Woman in UFC

In 2023, Puja became the first Indian woman to land a contract with UFC, the biggest MMA promotion in the world. Her win makes her the first Indian to win a UFC fight, marking a significant achievement for Indian MMA.

Advocate for women in sports

Beyond her achievements in the octagon, Tomar is a vocal advocate for women in sports. She uses her platform to inspire and encourage young girls in India to pursue their dreams in martial arts. She also takes a stand for Indians in martial arts. “I want to show the world that Indian fighters are not losers. We are going all the way up. We are not going to stop. We’ll become UFC Champion soon,” she had said in the Octagon interview.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: NATIONAL: AEROSPACE / MANY FIRSTS : World’s First Rocket with Single Piece 3D Printed Engine launched from Sriharikota

The feat has been achieved entirely through indigenous design and development.

The world’s first rocket with a single piece 3D printed engine was launched from Sriharikota on Thursday by Agnikul Cosmos, the IITMadras-incubated start-up.

The launch was witnessed by various luminaries including Dr S Somanath, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, Rajeev Jyoti, Director (Technical), IN-SPACe, and A Raj Rajan, Director SHAR.

The ISRO chairman said that the success involving many firsts, including the 3D printed semi-cryogenic engine, flight control systems etc. demonstrate the prowess of indigenous design and innovation. “It motivates ISRO to support the Space startups and non-governmental entities for innovation and Atmanirbharata to create a vibrant space ecosystem in the country,” he said.

The feat has been achieved entirely through indigenous design and development after the launch was postponed many a times. ‘Agnibaan – SOrTeD’ Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator also has the unique distinction of having been launched from India’s first private launch pad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul. It is also India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.

“The key purpose of this mission, which is also Agnikul’s first flight, is to serve as a test flight, to demonstrate the in-house and home grown technologies, gather crucial flight data and ensure optimal functioning of systems for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the ‘Agnibaan’,” a statement issued by the company said.

The Agnibaan SOrTeD is powered by a semi-cryogenic engine that uses commercially available aviation turbine fuel or essentially kerosene and medical grade liquid oxygen, according to the company. Agnikul follows up on the first launch made by an Indian space company which was Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited which in 2022 flew a solid fuelled sounding rocket from Sriharikota.

Speaking about the next steps, Prof Satyanarayanan R Chakravarthy, founding advisor, Agnikul Cosmos and also the Head of National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD), IIT Madras, said, “We are proud to present India’s first Semi-cryo rocket engine, which is also the world’s most integrated single shot 3D printed piece. It signals the ability to rapidly assemble rockets that is unparalleled.”

The Agnikul team consists of over 200 engineers and is associated with NCCRD at IIT Madras. Additionally, the team is guided by 45 former scientists from ISRO who bring invaluable expertise to the endeavour of democratising access to space, a statement said.

The flagship launch vehicle, ‘Agnibaan’, is designed to be compatible with the mobile launchpad called ‘Dhanush,’ allowing for launch flexibility regardless of location. Agnibaan can be configured to accommodate payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg, ensuring versatility across a wide range of mission requirements, the statement added. The startup is aiming to fly an orbital mission towards the end 2024-2025.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)