Aleena Bhagianath is an accomplished kickboxer from the Kozhikode district of Kerala. The daughter of Anish Bhagianath and Jasmine Milna Rani has been a martial art practitioner since she was 10. Bhagianath has won multiple medals in both national and state-level kickboxing tournaments. She recently captured the gold at the 3rd K1 Amateur and Pro National Kickboxing tournament.
The 15-year-old Aleena Bhagianath is one of the top kickboxing prospects in the country. The fighter was recently selected to take part in the WBC Muay-Thai Youth Games, scheduled to take place in Canada later this year. In an interview with the MMA India Show, Aleena Bhagianath opened up about her combat sports journey.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ALEENA BHAGIANATH
How and when did you start training in Muay-Thai?
My first exposure to martial arts was in Karate. I was just 10 years old when I first started training. My dad is a Karate instructor, so naturally, I trained under him. I got interested in Muay-Thai about two years ago, after attending a coaching camp, in Kozhikode (a dist of Kerala) about two years ago. The training methods and traditions of Martial art fascinated me.
Is your family supportive of your training Muay-Thai?
My father is my biggest supporter. Mom and the rest of the family doesn’t really know much about martial arts. My dad is a 2nd degree Kyokushin black belt holder. So naturally, dad is the one who supports me the most. He is the one who takes me to various tournaments. My mother encourages me a lot, but she doesn’t have much of an idea about Muay-Thai.
What are your major wins to date?
I train in Kickboxing and boxing and it’s in these two disciplines that I compete. My first national medal came in the 2nd K1 Amateur & Pro National kickboxing championship in Kolkata in 2021. I won a silver medal in the event. In 2022 I captured the Gold at the 3rd edition of the same event, in Rajasthan.
How were you invited to take part in the WBC Muay-Thai youth games?
I received invitations for the international tournament while I was attending a Kickboxing camp in Ernakulam (a dist of Kerala). The camp instructor, Mr Joy, made me aware of the opportunity and persuaded me to take part in it.
What is your training like for the WBC tournament?
I train two times a day. In the mornings, I train at home with my father. After school, I train with my team at The Trojans Fight Club. I’m giving my all in every training session. I really feel blessed to take part in an International Muay-Thai championship. I’m going to give it my all.
How have your peers and teachers reacted to your accomplishments? Are they supportive of you competing?
Till 9th grade, my teachers really supported me. But now I’m in 10th and this year when I took a leave to attend a tournament, I felt I did not sit right with my teachers. Yeah, now that I’m in 10 grade, I think my teachers are not as supportive of me competing as they were before. Friends really support me though. They always ask me how I handle such a gruelling sport, and sometimes even crack jokes saying I enjoy beating up people way too much. But they really support me.
Who is your favourite fighter?
I really like Mike Tyson. I have watched a lot of his fights. His fighting style really resonates with me.
Would you want to try your hands at MMA in the future?
Obviously, if I get a chance to train in MMA I will definitely utilize it.
Has the government offered you any sponsorship for attending the WBC youth Muay-Thai games?
No, I haven’t received any government support. I took the help of my family, friends, relatives and even my Church to raise funds for the trip. Even though we tried to reach out to the government for support, we did not get any.
There are few accomplished female combat sports athletes from Kerala. Many families are extremely defensive in supporting their daughters to be combat sports athletes. What are your thoughts on this situation?
Even in my case, a few members of the family are not happy with me competing. They are especially not in favour of me going to Canada for the WBC Muay-Thai youth games. Some even suggested that a girl of my age should not be allowed to go to the tournament alone. The way I see it, my father is my rock as long as I have his support I don’t really care about the other opinions. It is our life, our chances and our opportunities. So, when an opportunity presents itself, make sure you take it.
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