Shammi Rana is a promoter of Traditional Sports and Games (TSG) from India. He was appointed Secretary-General of the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) at the 4th UNESCO Collective Consultation of Traditional Sports and Games.[1][2][3] Shammi Rana was also appointed Rapporteur of Traditional Sports and Games by UNESCO in the 3rd Collective Consultation on the Safeguarding and Promotion of Traditional Sports and Games 2017.[4][5]
Career
Shammi Rana held several positions at various sports organizations worldwide. In 2020, he was honored with a Presidential Award in the USA.[6] Shammi Rana was elected as Secretary-General of Asian Jujitsu and Belt Wrestling Federation in 2009[7] and attended the 1st Indoor Asian Martial Arts Games as Referee for Ju-jitsu.[8][9] In 2016, he attended World Martial Arts Masterships as Technical Director for Belt Wrestling.[10][11][12]
Promotional work
Shammi has made a lot of effort to promote Traditional Sports Games in UNESCO. He has met with many officials from different countries to promote TSG. He participated in the Canadian parliament and was assured their support for TSG.[13] He visited South Korea with Khalil Ahmed, chairman of the Advisory Committee of TSG UNESCO, and held a meeting with Korean authority authorities for their support and sponsorship of Traditional Sports and Games.[14]
In Africa, he met Sierra Leone deputy sports minister Kai Lawrence Mbayo. Shammi explained the importance of Traditional Sports and the deputy minister assured them of his full support.[15]
He met with Erin Bromaghim, Director of Olympic and Paralympic Development in Los Angeles. Shammi proposed that Traditional Sports and Games should be included in the Olympics 2028, which will be held in Los Angeles.[16] Because of his efforts, the first Worldwide Traditional Sports and Games will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan.[17]
He and Hari Banaag, members of the advisory committee of TSG UNESCO, met with Congressman Terrance John Cox and emphasized founding a Pan-America Traditional Sports and Games Headquarters in Delano, California.[18]
He, along with Vansh Rana from the ICTSG USA Youth Committee and Sartaj Singh Sekhon from the ICTSG USA Advisory Committee, met with Mike Levin, the U.S. Representative for California's 49th congressional district, to seek support for the preservation of Traditional Sports and Games.[19]
Awards and honors
2021 - USA President's Lifetime Achievement Award[20]
2020 - USA President's Lifetime Achievement Award[6]
2019 - Honorary Doctorate Degree in Martial Arts Philosophy and Martial Arts Science from the University of Asian Martial Arts Studies (2019)[18]