MUMBAI – Super Fight League (SFL), India’s first mixed martial arts (MMA) league, has roped in top corporate honchos as team owners for its upcoming season, slated to launch on January 20. The eight teams and their owners are: Aditya Munjal of Hero Cycles (Delhi Heroes), Amit Burman of Dabur (Mumbai Maniacs), Keshav Bansal of Intex (Gujarat Warriors), Achin Kochar of VI-John (Sher-e-Punjab), Shreeram Suresh and Vinodini Suresh of 8K Miles Media (Bengaluru Yoddha), Jaskaran Punihani and Navraj Jaura of the Jaura Group and Deepak Saluja and Pramod Sharma of UV Media (UP Nawabs), Kanav Parwal and Raahil Bhatia of the SPA Capital & Belmaks Group (Haryana Sultans) and Preeti Mahapatra of Mahapatra Universal (Goa Pirates). ET was the first to report that SFL co-owners — British business magnate and sports enthusiast Bill Dosanjh and professional boxing sensation and two-time world champion Amir Khan — have decided to tweak the format to make SFL the first point-based MMA league. “The most important point is to have a vision aligned with the promoters and we are so happy to get young entrepreneurs, who see the value in MMA, to partner with us as team owners,” Dosanjh told ET. “We have been studying who will be the best fit for our teams on the basis of their work and commitment towards sports. It’s a great feeling to get these guys backing us.” The franchise owners will pay an annual fee of Rs 1.5 crore to SFL and can spend up to Rs 50 lakh on players. Each team will have local players from their region and three international players. SFL will distribute 60% of the central revenue pool equally among the franchisees. Amit Burman, vice chairman at Dabur and owner of Mumbai Maniacs, told ET that he looks at MMA as the next big sport in India. “MMA is going to get very popular in India. It will be the new avatar of wrestling and a really big thing in India,” he said. On the business model, Burman said it’s a long-term association. “Nobody is going to break even in year one, but in three to four years, one can do very well.” On his association with the league, Keshav Bansal, the Intex Technologies director who owns Gujarat Warriors, said: “India is seeing a progressive change with the focus shifting to alternate sports and we see an opportunity in promoting SFL to popularise MMA in India. Being a sports enthusiast, it was a good opportunity to own a team in one of the futuristic sporting formats. Cleary, MMA has a long way to go and a professional league like this will provide the right ecosystem for the action sport to enter the mainstream of the country.” MMA is today one of the most followed sports online globally. In India, Dosanjh claims it is the most watched online after cricket. While contact sports like Kabaddi and wrestling are not new to India, which has a deep-rooted culture for these sports, MMA was a new phenomenon till a few years back. Scheduled between January 20 and February 25, SFL will see 96 fighters from 8 teams taking part in the fights. SFL has roped in Sony Pictures Networks India as the broadcast partner for on-air as well as online streaming of the league across India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives.

****

Rally Against Bigotry

A March and Rally Against Bigotry to mark Martin Luther King Day will be held on Sunday, January 15, to carry on the struggle for our civil rights and against the rise of bigotry in our communities, The rally will start at the Surrey City Hall Plaza between the City Hall and Surrey Central Library at 3 pm. Then we will march to Surrey Central Plaza.

“Let us send a clear message that we will not tolerate any organized attempt by White Supremacist to organize and promote hate towards any target community”, says Imtiaz Popat organizer with the recently formed Coalition Against Bigotry – Pacific. The coalition has been formed as a response to the recent rise of White Supremacist organizing in Metro Vancouver including KKK leaflets in the Fraser Valley and Alt-Right leaflets in Richmond.

“What are the authorities doing to protect us from these “Terrorists” organizing in our backyard again,” asks Popat. There has been a history of White Supremacist organizing in Metro Vancouver. Popat made a documentary Hate Can Kill about the murder of Nirmal Singh Gill, caretaker at the Guru Nanak Gurudwara in Surrey in 1998 by White Supremacist skinheads.” They wanted to kill everyone in the Gurudwara,” says Popat, according to the RCMP investigation. “If these White Supremacist group were not “White”, they would be treated differently”, says Popat.

Media contact: Imtiaz Popat 778 708-0690.

****

Free Self Employment Program Offered By PICS

Are you unemployed or working less than 20 hours per week? Are you thinking of launching your own business?

Join PICS for an information session on PICS’ Self Employment Program at one of PICS Offices:

Suite 205, 12725 80th Ave, Surrey – Every 2nd Wednesday of the month

OR

8153 Main St (near Marine Dr), Vancouver – Every 3rd Wednesday of the month

All info sessions are from 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

This program offers

•           Business Start-Up Training

•           Business Plan Writing

•           Business Advisor Support

•           Networking Events

•           Support During Business Launch Period

Seating is limited. To attend a session, please pre-register at [email protected] or 604-596-7722 Ext 150

****

Settlement Workers: Mandarin/English

Wednesdays, 1 – 5 pm – George Mackie Library, 8440 – 112 Street, Delta

Are you a newcomer to Canada who needs help adjusting to your new life?  Free and confidential services are offered to help newcomers – with all their needs – during the process of settling into their new community.  Settlement and Integration Services are free for immigrants, refugees and their families in BC.

****

Mosaic Networking:

Are you new to the country looking to meet new friends or seeking

networking opportunities?  You are invited!  Refreshments will be served!

Mosaic Church meets on Saturday evening 6:30 pm in Surrey/Abbotsford.

Surrey: 12150-92 Avenue; Abbotsford: 2940 Clearbrook Road  For more info

call Dave at 604 897-4224 or email [email protected]

****

Fleetwood/Guildford WorkBC Employment Services Centre

“Fleetwood/Guildford WorkBC Employment Services Centre supports both employers and employees. We assist employers find suitable employees through programs such as Wage Subsidy and we assist individuals to find employment through many services, including training. Best of all, all our services are FREE.  For more information, please call our office at 604-580-9740.”

****

Borrow An eReader From Surrey Libraries

Always wanted to try one before you buy? Here’s your chance.

Check out a Kobo Touch for a 3 week loan from any Surrey Library.

Each Kobo Touch is loaded with Classics:

•           Anne of Green Gables

•           Tristan & Iseult

•           Anna Karenina

•           Count of Monte Cristo

•           Mysterious Affair at Styles

Check the library catalogue for availability or reserve one today! www.surreylibraries.ca

****