Ayushree Banerjee’s journey in combat sports has been defined by sacrifice, resilience and a willingness to choose an unconventional path.
At the 2026 IFMA Senior Muay Thai World Championships in Kosovo, the athlete from Kolkata recently won silver and bronze for India, adding another noteworthy chapter to a career that started after she walked away from Engineering. Before entering combat sports, Ayushree had spent much of her childhood as a competitive swimmer. She first learned boxing and then advanced to kickboxing and Muay Thai as a part of her transition to combat sports.
However, her family did not immediately accept her decision to become a professional fighter. Ayushree revealed in an exclusive interview with Sports Now that her mother had not spoken to her for nine months following her decision to give up engineering and follow her passion for sports.
The Mental Battle Behind The Medals
Ayushree believes her progress since the 2025 World Championship has been as much about mental preparation as technical improvement. She claimed to have spent the next year improving her game after leaving the previous event in the pre-quarterfinals. She eventually won two medals at the 2026 championships, but she was unable to win the world championship.
“70 per cent of the game is mental. Last year, when I went to the World Championship in Turkey, I lost in the pre-quarterfinals. This time I worked on the mistakes I had made and tried to become more composed. I wanted to win the World Championship, and I couldn’t do that this time, but that doesn’t mean the dream is over. I know what I have to work on now, and I believe I will get that title next time.”
She also talked about how her perspective outside of competition differs from her mindset inside the ring. Once a conflict starts, Ayushree does not let herself compromise her confidence.
“Outside the ring, I feel like I have never won anything. I feel like I am at my lowest, and there is still so much that I have to achieve. But the moment I step inside the ring, I feel like I am the best person there. I have to believe that I am the best because otherwise there is no point stepping in. Once I am inside, I have to give everything that I have.”
Choosing Sport Over Engineering
Ayushree’s decision to switch from Engineering to combat sports was the most significant turning point in her life. Her choice to pursue an uncertain athletic career instead of a traditional professional path was more than just a course change. Previous reports on her career have also detailed her intention to quit Jadavpur to pursue kickboxing.
“I had never really seen myself as an engineer. I had always wanted to represent India and become a professional athlete. When I met Ishan and he asked me what I actually wanted to become in life, it made me think about what I was doing. I went to the dean and withdrew from engineering, handed in my ID card and came home. That night I told my parents, and that is when everything became very difficult.”
Ayushree said her decision resulted in a prolonged period of tension with her mother, who, according to the athlete, stopped speaking to her for nine months. She described having to change rooms and alter even simple aspects of her daily routine at home during that period. Despite the family conflict, she continued competing and eventually won an international medal.
The Medal That Broke The Silence
For Ayushree, the breakthrough came when she won bronze at the 2024 Asian Kickboxing Championships in Cambodia. Contemporary reports described it as India’s first-ever medal in the women’s 48kg ring event at the Asian Kickboxing Championships.
“I sent the medal picture to my mother. That was the first time after nine months that she spoke to me. She congratulated me. That moment meant a lot because for those nine months I was just trying to continue doing what I believed in, even though things at home were so difficult. I never blamed my parents because they didn’t really know what a career in combat sports could look like. I think they could have reacted differently, but I also understand why they were scared.”
The relationship, she said, has since changed. Her family is now more supportive, although concerns about injuries remain, particularly because much of her training involves sparring with male athletes.