A rousing welcome awaited 21-year-old mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Devgan Marandi when he returned to his village in Jharkhand’s Santhal Pargana after a stunning international victory.
Traditional Santhali music, drums and folk dances greeted the young athlete, whose journey from a remote tribal family to the global MMA stage has become a matter of pride for the region.
Marandi made headlines on June 27 at the Elite Contender Series (ECS) in Kolkata, where he delivered one of the fastest finishes of the event. Fighting in the 66 kg category, he knocked out Nepal’s Sunil Punn in just 17 seconds to win the championship title.
The victory stood out even more because Marandi had only three-and-a-half years of professional experience, while his opponent had nearly twice that.
A native of Nima village in Godda district’s Lalmatia area, Marandi comes from a modest Santhal family. He is the fourth of eight siblings. He studied at Mahagama Bethel Mission School and passed Class XII with first division.
His first dream was to join the Indian Air Force through the National Defence Academy. With Rs 50,000 in hand, he moved to Delhi to prepare for the exam, but when that plan failed, MMA changed his life.
In Delhi, his roommates introduced him to UFC fights, sparking his interest in combat sports. He joined the House of Gladiator academy in East Kailash and trained under coaches Sadiq, Rajesh and Aditya, gradually building a career in MMA.
The path has not been easy. After his father, a former dumper driver with Eastern Coalfields Limited, retired, the family’s financial condition worsened. With monthly expenses of Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 and little support from home, Marandi took part-time jobs and even cleaned the academy to get fee concessions. At times, he trained on an empty stomach.
Still, he has compiled an impressive record of 18 professional fights, including 14 MMA bouts, with 11 wins and three losses. His next challenge is the Immortal Fighting Championship in Bengaluru on August 30. He will return to Delhi on July 14 for intensive training.
Marandi says sponsorship is his biggest need and hopes his success will inspire more tribal youth to enter combat sports. “I want to show that Santhal and tribal youth are second to none,” he says.
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