What It Takes to Achieve Greatness is YOU | Aranjot Kaur, CSU Sacramento – Edu Unlocked Podcast

Aranjot Kaur

Guest

Aranjot Kaur is an accomplished mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete from India with a 3-0 record and a national championship title, having begun her training at just 14. Raised largely by her mother—a fashion designer who instilled confidence, independence, and discipline—Kaur credits her upbringing as the foundation of her competitive drive.
Her journey to Sacramento State is as bold as her fighting style. In 2023, while searching for U.S. colleges with strong MMA environments, she saw a post on UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber’s Instagram featuring Sac State President Luke Wood. Kaur reached out directly, sparking conversations that ultimately helped launch Combat U, a first-of-its-kind university partnership with local combat sports gyms, including Faber’s Ultimate Fitness.
Now a second-year Business Administration student, Kaur serves as the student-founder and president of Combat U MMA and jiu-jitsu, leading efforts to recruit and empower students—especially women—in a historically male-dominated arena. She is part of a growing group of women shaping the future of combat sports on campus, helping create an inclusive, respectful, and high-performance environment among the program’s 600+ participants.
Combat U provides professional-level training in wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai, and jiu-jitsu, and expands access to higher education for students from underserved backgrounds. Kaur herself attends on a full scholarship, and is preparing for her U.S. competition debut.
Beyond the mat, she also aspires to merge her athletic and creative worlds by designing combat sports gear and expanding Aranick, the fashion brand she co-runs with her mother.
Key Highlights:
1. 3-0 MMA athlete and national champion from India
2. Began martial arts training at age 14
3. Student-founder & President, Combat U MMA and jiu-jitsu at Sacramento State
4. Instrumental in helping shape Combat U, a pioneering combat sports–university partnership
5. Second-year Business Administration student on a full scholarship
6. Actively leading efforts to increase women’s participation in combat sports
7. Training with professionals through partnerships with local gyms, including Urijah Faber’s Ultimate Fitness
8. Aspiring designer and co-founder of Aranick, a combat-sports-inspired fashion brand
9. Preparing for her U.S. MMA competition debut

Ashish Fernando

Host

Founder & CEO, EDMO
Ashish Fernando is the visionary founder and CEO of EDMO, a revolutionary educational technology platform that's transforming how people learn and grow. With over 15 years of experience in education and technology, Ashish has dedicated his career to making quality education accessible to learners worldwide. Before founding EDMO, Ashish held leadership positions at several prominent EdTech companies and worked as an educational consultant for Fortune 500 companies. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Master's in Computer Science from MIT. Ashish is a frequent speaker at educational conferences and has been featured in publications such as EdTech Magazine, Learning & Development Today, and TechCrunch. He's passionate about the intersection of technology and human potential, believing that the right tools can unlock extraordinary learning outcomes for everyone. Under his leadership, EDMO has grown to serve over 100,000 learners globally and has partnerships with leading educational institutions and corporations. Ashish continues to drive innovation in personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and educational analytics.
Key Achievements:
1. Founded EDMO in 2019, now serving 100,000+ learners globally
2. Named 'EdTech Innovator of the Year' by Learning Technology Awards 2023
3. Featured speaker at Global Education Summit 2024
4. Published researcher in educational technology and learning analytics
5. Advisor to multiple EdTech startups and educational initiatives