At 36, Suchika Tariyal has carved her name in history by becoming India’s first athlete to secure a medal at the Asian Games in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Competing at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan. She defeated Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalama (2-0) in the women’s traditional 60kg quarterfinal. 

What Happened To Suchika Tariyal At The Age Of 12? 

Suchika’s journey into sports was born out of necessity rather than early athletic ambition. At the early age of 12, Tariyal encountered an unfortunate event of eve-teasing. She was from Rohtak, Haryana, and one day when she went to a unisex salon, she was touched appropriately by the barber. She wanted to fight back. With the means to protect herself, she enrolled in a Judo class. The classes began as a means to self-defense, later turned into lifelong commitment towards sports. With years of experience, Tariyal expanded her horizon into Ju-Jitsu, MMA, building a versatile skill set.

Suchika Tariyal’s Achievements 

Before breaking into MMA, Tariyal established her role in classic combat sports. She secured eight national titles. She won gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championship, and a silver at the 2019 South Asian Games. She represented India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, finishing just short of the medal in the 57kg category. 

She also captured a gold medal at the Adult Ju-Jitsu Female 63kg category at the 2024 JJIF Ju-Jitsu World Championship. 

How Did Suchika Tariyal Begin Her MMA Journey? 

Tairyal made her debut in the MMA field in the year 2017, before stepping away to focus on Judo and Ju-Jitsu. But in December of 2024, she came back into MMA, after signing with BRAVE Combat Federation, winning at the BRAVE CF 92 in Bahrain. 

Her second Asian Games comes after a disappointing outing in Kurash at the Hangzhou 2022 Games. Taiyal entered the Aichi-Nagoya Games bolstered by back-to-back bronze medals at the Asian MMA Championships, under the support of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme. 


Who Is Suchika Beyond Sports?

Off the mat, Suchika has a strong social media presence with 3,00,000 Instagram followers. She has appeared on mainstream programmes such as MTV Roadies and Prime Video’s India’s Ultimate Warrior. Tariyal has also received recognition from the President and the Prime Minister in sports and advocate for women empowerment. 

She is using her platform as a means to encourage parents to send their children into combat sports. 

Conclusion

Suchika Tariyal’s historic Asian Games bronze medal stands as a testament to resilience, transforming a personal quest for self-defense into a groundbreaking career in combat sports. By blazing a trail in Judo, Ju-Jitsu, and MMA, she not only etched her name in Indian sports history but continues to inspire and empower the next generation of young athletes.

(Image Credits:Instagram)

Stay tuned for more such stories at Her Zindagi.