‘He was a warrior’: Brother of Penticton MMA fighter killed by a bear looking for answers

Hrishikesh Koloth came to Penticton from India to pursue his dream of being a professional MMA fighter, but he was killed by a bear while on the job in Saskatchewan.

Koloth’s older sibling Arjun told iNFOnews.ca following his brother’s recent funeral in India that he wants him to be remembered for his bravery and his trusting nature.

“He was like a hard-working kid. He put everything into what he did,” Arjun said. “I don’t want to see my brother as a victim.”

He wants to remember his brother “like an ancient pagan who went into the woods to fight some bear.”

“He was a warrior so I would love to remember him that way.”

Hrishikesh was an independent contractor for UraniumX Discovery Corp when the bear attacked on May 8. He was at the company’s Zoo Bay property in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin.

Arjun said he has concerns about the safety measures in place when his brother was killed.

His brother was alone, his radio wasn’t working and his bear spray wasn’t on him, it was put away in a bag. He said a helicopter had dropped him off and it wasn’t able to pick him up when he encountered the bear.

“They told me that they came in with the helicopter and they tried to scare off the bear because there was no place to land it,” he said. “I don’t know what kind of safety precautions are there… they had like some minimal training… how can this happen?”

The bear was eventually shot, and Arjun said he is still awaiting the results of the necropsy.

UraniumX CEO Esen Boldkhuu released a statement following his death on May 11.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased. The safety and well-being of our employees, contractors, and all personnel working on our projects is, and will always remain, our highest priority,” Boldkhuu said in the statement.

Arjun said he wants to focus on how his brother lived his life, and his dream of being a MMA fighter.

Hrishikesh trained at Skoden Martial Arts in Penticton after fighting for years in India. Arjun said he’d already won a fight here and was on his way to greatness.

“His team used to call him Rishi the machine, because he’s so hardworking. He takes care of the family and he works at the same time,” he said. “He would have been a celebrity.”