SJ Uplift Kabaddi has announced the elevation of Simran Malik to the role of chief operating officer.
Previously serving as head of marketing, Malik has played a pivotal role in establishing the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) within India’s sporting landscape — particularly through impactful grassroots engagement strategies and operational success.
As COO, Malik will oversee all operational functions, including franchise relations, logistics, matchday execution, and stakeholder engagement. She will also focus on streamlining internal processes to improve efficiency across teams and drive operational excellence as the organisation scales.
A key part of her mandate will involve leading the rollout of UPKL Season 2 and the World Super Kabaddi League (WSKL). In addition, she will support various emerging sports initiatives — from managing infrastructure and broadcast partnerships to advancing grassroots development and youth training programmes under SJ Uplift Kabaddi.
SJ Uplift Kabaddi director and founder Sambhav Jain commented, “From playing a key role in shaping Season One to now leading Season Two, Simran’s rise reflects her instrumental contributions, steady growth, and trusted stewardship through every phase of our journey. She has consistently demonstrated clarity, commitment, and leadership in the role she has taken on. As we enter a progressive phase of growth and structure, her elevation reflects the company’s trust in her leadership and our shared ambition for the future.”
Malik added, “This promotion marks a meaningful milestone in my journey with SJ Uplift Kabaddi. I’m grateful to Mr. Sambhav Jain for his trust and mentorship. I’m equally thankful to my team—their dedication is the foundation of everything we are building. Our belief is simple: when the team grows, we all grow. As we build a next generation sports ecosystem rooted in regional passion and global ambition, I’m excited to lead new projects like UPKL Season 2 and support WSKL. By unifying operations, we are expanding leagues into new markets, enhancing every match experience, and forging partnerships across continents. I also hope to inspire more women to take leadership roles in the sports industry, because when diversity grows, the ecosystem thrives. Our mission: to transform kabaddi from a regional sport into a global phenomenon, one fan, one league, one market at a time.”
