More than just a Brand: Mascot BMX is Revamping the Culture of BMX in India

Where streets are narrow, dreams are big, and places are crowded, there is often very little space for sports like BMX (Bicycle Motocross, for the unversed). Yet, some dare to dream the unthinkable and achieve the undoable by many. At its centre is Sanjay Rajpurohit, a 31-year-old entrepreneur whose love affair with BMX began at 14 and has since evolved into something much bigger than personal passion—it's become a mission to reshape how Indian youth spend their time. Through his brand Mascot BMX and social endeavours, he tries to make space for a less sought-after sport in a country which is dominated by cricket.  

The Birth of a Brotherhood

Mascot BMX is an all-around BMX brand that started with a passion. "The bike was our Mascot who had changed our boring life to an extraordinary one," recalls Rajpurohit, explaining the origins of the name that would eventually become synonymous with India's BMX movement. What started in 2010 as six friends sharing bikes and building makeshift ramps around their neighbourhood has grown into one of India's pioneering BMX brands.

The original crew—Sanjay Rajpurohit, Sagar Memane, Devendra Rajpurohit, Rohit Waghmare, Dhroov Rajpal, and Nikhil Dhon—weren't just riders; they were innovators by necessity. "We used to ride, make ramps and do jumps all around our area and later started filming also, and that's what kept us busy," Sanjay remembers. Their DIY spirit would prove essential as they faced the harsh reality of India's BMX scene: there simply weren't enough bikes or parts available.

Building Something from Nothing

The transition from crew to company wasn't born out of business ambition—it was born out of frustration. "The unavailability of BMX Bikes and Parts is what made us start the business. The import duty is way higher for bicycles, so we had to start our own company," Sanjay explains. 

Starting as importers in 2014, they took the bold step of building their own brand in 2017. Today, Mascot BMX manufactures complete bikes from beginner to professional level, dealing with international brands while maintaining their grassroots connection through one shop in Mumbai, two in Northeast India, and their primary online presence at mascotbmx.com.

More Than Just Business

For Sanjay, Mascot BMX represents something far more significant than profit margins. "Our only motto is to make a better, healthier and interesting life for kids. And make the youth drug free," he states. This philosophy drives the company to organise workshops, jams, and contests, often at the expense of their busy schedules.

The social impact extends internationally through partnerships like "Share a Bike Share a Smile," where they collaborate with friends from Germany to collect bikes and parts from around the world, bringing them to Indian children who couldn't otherwise afford them. "We collect bikes and parts from all over the world and get them to India for poor kids who can't afford bikes on their own," the co-founder explains.

Fighting an Uphill Battle

The love for sports and the humility come from the very understanding that India is not welcoming to this sport. The challenges facing BMX culture in India are formidable. "Currently, we see most of the kids are completely addicted to their phone; they'll be playing online games, making stupid videos for social media, participating in illicit activities, but won't care about physically working out or riding bicycles," the rider says.

This digital addiction represents a fundamental shift from his own youth experience. "It was very different when I was growing up. I wasn't allowed to ride, my parents never supported me in getting into BMX. But somehow I figured things out." His personal journey from an unsupported teenager to a successful entrepreneur adds weight to his current mission.

The Solo Mission

Perhaps most remarkably, Rajpurohit runs Mascot BMX almost entirely alone. "I own the company, I am the only employee. From designing to dispatch, everything is done by me, with some help from my peers," he reveals. This isn't his only responsibility—he also manages his family's steel sieves factory, balancing traditional business with his BMX passion. "Mascot BMX is a side hustle I do because I don't want BMX dead in here," he explains. Despite the challenges, he finds balance through what he calls his true calling: "I also go on trips, ride and film with the crew, making most of the time worth living. Mother nature balances it for me." 

He wants to do the right things so that the negative ones are overshadowed. "In this age of social media, the real BMX culture is diminishing. Kids are only doing it to attract followers, and for fame and publicity," he observes. Yet he remains committed to the authentic promotion of BMX culture, working with partners like 100 Ramps from Bangalore to build skateparks across the country.

When asked about the future, Sanjay’s response was refreshingly honest: "About the future, I have no idea. But for now, building the culture is the only motto." His approach is grounded in present action rather than distant dreams. "We will do our best in keeping BMX and Mascot BMX alive, and hopefully in future we'll do much bigger events and jams to motivate upcoming riders to live a beautiful extreme lifestyle."

Sanjay Rajpurohit's Mascot BMX is not just about a business model, but a culture moulded into the grassroots to ramp up the sport beyond the allies of Mumbai and India.