by Suman Gupta/MNM
Mumbai, May 7: The Mallakhamb Federation USA (MFU), a not-for-profit organisation that is instrumental in successfully promoting the sport of Mallakhamb in the USA. MFU is determined to push for demonstration of this sport during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.MFU, along with other national-level federations, including the Mallakhamb Federation of India (MFI) would like to impress the Los Angeles Olympic Committee (LAOC) to grant them an opportunity to showcase their sport either during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Opening Ceremony or Closing Ceremony.
This would be a Herculean effort and will require campaigning at multiple levels, the use of multiple countries, and multiple agencies to convince LAOC to give Mallakhamb players an opportunity to demonstrate their skills.MFU would like to start this campaign in Maharashtra. The MFU has the support of the Maharashtra Olympics Association (MOA) who will hand over a letter of recommendation to Mallakhamb Federation USA and to the USA embassy.
To share details of their plans, MFU will be organising a Press Conference at on May 8th. MFU will also highlight the success of people of Indian origin promoting Indian sports of Mallakhamb outside of India.The Press conference will be addressed by Mallakhamb Federation USA officials. The others who would be present include Chinmay Patankar (Head Coach, MFU), Sanket Bakshi (Captain Men’s MFU), Shreya Patankar (Captain Women’s MFU), Raqesh Bapat (Actor/Producer- Bollywood Celebrity), Namdev Shirgaonkar (Maharashtra Olympic Association), representatives from Political Parties and the US Embassy officials.
Media persons would also get an opportunity to interact with Team USA, which comprises players of Indian Origin, who would be participating in the World Championship. The USA team of top six women and six men players were selected from six states in the USA after completing topmost Level 5 and grueling 6 years of training. Team USA, which is traveling to Assam for Mallakhamb competitions, has made a stopover in Mumbai and is pleased to connect with the city’s Mallakhamb ambassadors, which includes Mallakhamb players who are helping promote the sport globally.
MFU is the First National Level Mallakhamb organization outside India. MFU has combined Western methods of Sports with Indian sports of Mallakhamb for a splendid blend, in the fitness of things.The USA Federation has defined the first-ever curriculum of Rope and Pole Mallakhamb and have made this curriculum available online on Amazon Kindle for free. MFU has promoted gender equality by allowing women to successfully compete on Pole needed for Western audiences.
MFU has also demonstrated Mallakhamb at the United Nations. MFU was recognized by the State of New Jersey Senate, Mayor of Edison Township from New Jersey, and the Governor of New Jersey. MFU was recognized by Hon Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in his ‘Maan Ki Baat’.
To get Mallakhamb in the Olympics as a Competitive sport is significantly a long way off. Mallakhamb was demonstrated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Now MFU, along with other national level federations such as Mallakhamb Federation of India want to perform Mallakhamb at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in the Opening Ceremony or Closing Ceremony. This will require campaigning at multiple levels, use of multiple countries, and multiple agencies. MFU would like to start this campaign from Maharahstra. Maharashtra Olympics Association will hand over a letter of recommendation to Mallakhamb Federation USA.
