'Left in a pot to die after birth', UP's Puja Tomar becomes 1st Indian to win UFC fight

In 1993, a baby girl was born in a small village in Uttar Pradesh's Budhana. However being the third girl child, her family didn't want her nor had any hopes from her. Thus, she was left in a pot to die.

While leaving the infant in the pot, the girl started to wail at the top of her lungs. Upon hearing this, the mother's heart melted and she pulled the girl out of the pot and took her home.

This is how UFC fighter Puja Tomar's story began.

Born with an indomitable spirit and headstrong mind, Tomar began fighting from the day she opened her eyes.

Whether it is was fight for her life or a fight in the UFC arena, Tomar always brings her A-game.

According to a report by Times of India, in June last year, Tomar made the history by becoming the first Indian to win a Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) match.

She achieved this feat after defeating Brazil's Rayanne Amanda dos Santos.

While giving an interview to the English Daily, Tomar said that her parents didn't want her. "My father fainted the day I was born. They had already decided not to raise a third daughter. I was left in a pot, to die."

Tomar comes from family of two elder sisters. who too making a name for themselves in this industry.

One of them is a nurse while other is studying to become a doctor. Tomar was the one with whom the world had no expectations.

"I always felt I had to prove something. Not just to my family but to the world. That a girl isn't a burden."

Growing up, she watched Youtube videos of Jackie Chan. These videos not only became her solace but also a sort of unconventional teacher for her.

However, she discovered she had a talent when she was 7 years old. Armed with a punch, a young Puja hit an opponent so hard during the Karate competition that they passed out.

She laughs remembering when someone told her that Karate maybe wasn't her cup of tea.

After realizing that Karate doesn't offer her the freedom that she wanted, Tomar turned her aim elsewhere. She trained in a martial art called Wushu which is a combination of grace and strength. Taking a little help from her uncle, she went to SAI Bhopal and trained for five years there.

However, after all this effort she was only offered a job as a constable.

Since money was tight and she too had to provide for her family, Tomar decided to look for other avenues. She also believed she deserved better than normal day-to-day job, after the work she had put in

It was during this job hunt that she found MMA.

Now in MMA, there was no guarantee. no contracts and no pay. But if you prove yourself in the field you can earn a living. And that is exactly what she did.

Today, Tomar has made a name for herself in the sport, moreover she is easily able to spend 1.5-2 lakhs a month on her team.

She claims that she wants to show that India isn't all about cricket, that they are people performing well in other sports too.

In an interview she was asked "whether Indian fighters can do anything outside cricket?"

Though this question stung, she didn't answer at the moment. Instead, she became a proponent of 'action speaks louder than words' and won the match against Santos becoming the first Indian to win in a UFC.

People in her village were ecstatic to hear the news and ran to her house to shower her with garlands. Her mother too stands proud of her daughter today.

She is now training to face Ireland’s Shauna Bannon on March 22 at at UFC Fight Night 254.