Shammi Rana is an Indian sports promoter associated with
Traditional Sports and Games
Traditional sports and games (often abbreviated TSG) are physical activities which were played for centuries by people around the world even before the civilization started, before the advent of modern Western sports. Many TSGs lost populari ...
(TSG). He was appointed Secretary-General of the
International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) at the 4th
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
Collective Consultation of Traditional Sports and Games.
Shammi Rana was also appointed
Rapporteur
A rapporteur is a person who is appointed by an organization to report on the proceedings of its meetings. The term is a French-derived word.
For example, Dick Marty was appointed ''rapporteur'' by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Eur ...
of Traditional Sports and Games by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
in the 3rd Collective Consultation on the Safeguarding and Promotion of Traditional Sports and Games 2017.
In March 2025, Shammi Rana, CEO of the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG), participated in a high-level event hosted by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) at the UN Headquarters in New York. The event, titled "Securing the Legacy: Debriefing from Paris 2024 for Future Major Sporting Events," marked the 5th anniversary of UNOCT’s Global Sports Programme and focused on enhancing the security, inclusivity, and long-term legacies of future international sporting events.
Shammi Rana is the CEO of the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG), a California-based nonprofit. He actively participated in the 24th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in April-May 2025, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Rana took part in a side event focused on the World Games for Indigenous Peoples, where the accomplishments related to Article 31 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples were highlighted. The event, co-hosted by ICTSG and the Comité Intertribal Memória e Ciência Indígena, also featured a preview of the upcoming World Indigenous Games 2025 in Brazil.
Additionally, Rana also participated in another side event on the Commonwealth Sport Declaration, organized by WIN Sports International and the International Organization of Indigenous Resource Development (IOIRD), which focused on supporting Indigenous athletes and cultural initiatives.
Career
Shammi Rana held several positions at various sports organizations worldwide. In 2020, he was honored with a Presidential Award in the USA.
Shammi Rana was elected as Secretary-General of Asian Jujitsu and Belt Wrestling Federation in 2009
and attended the 1st Indoor Asian Martial Arts Games as Referee for Ju-jitsu. In 2016, he attended
World Martial Arts Masterships
The World Martial Arts Masterships is an international martial arts competition that has been held in the North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. A total of 2 masterships have been held, with the 2016 iteration being held in Cheongju, and the 2 ...
as Technical Director for Belt Wrestling.
Promotional work
Shammi has made a lot of effort to promote Traditional Sports Games in
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
. 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.
He visited South Korea with Khalil Ahmed, chairman of the Advisory Committee of TSG
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
, and held a meeting with Korean authority authorities for their support and sponsorship of Traditional Sports and Games.
In Africa, he met
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
deputy sports minister Kai Lawrence Mbayo. Shammi explained the importance of Traditional Sports and the deputy minister assured them of his full support.
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. Because of his efforts, the first Worldwide Traditional Sports and Games will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
He and Hari Banaag, members of the advisory committee of TSG
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
, met with Congressman Terrance John Cox and emphasized founding a Pan-America Traditional Sports and Games Headquarters in Delano, California.
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
California's 49th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is represented by Mike Levin.
The district currently covers the North County (San Diego area), northern coastal areas of San D ...
, to seek support for the preservation of Traditional Sports and Games.
Awards and honors
* 2021 - USA President's Lifetime Achievement Award
* 2020 - USA President's Lifetime Achievement Award
* 2019 - Honorary Doctorate Degree in Martial Arts Philosophy and Martial Arts Science from the University of Asian Martial Arts Studies (2019)
* USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame Award
* Shammi Rana elected as President of Rising Sun Welfare Society(Regd)
* Shammi Rana honored with FOG Global Icon Award 2024
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rana, Shammi
Living people
1978 births
Indian sports executives and administrators
International Council of Traditional Sports and Games
Sportspeople from Amritsar
Sportspeople from Amritsar district
Sportspeople from Punjab, India
Punjabi Hindus
People from Amritsar district
People from Punjab, India
People from Amritsar