Girl power to fore as boxers Sakshi, Nitu shut up critics

Lovkesh Kumar

Chandigarh, September 13

India’s two gold medallists at the recent World Youth Boxing Championships in Budapest exemplify the confidence and self-assurance a girl from a conservative background gets on becoming a champion.

“In our conservative society, people talk when you start doing something different in any field,” says Sakshi, who won the 57kg category gold in Budapest. “Same was the case with me when my parents enrolled me at Bhiwani Boxing Club. But when I started winning gold medals, the mouths of the people were shut. The same people had told my parents that boxing would disfigure my face, and my future would be destroyed.”

Sakshi, who turned 19 last week, and her parents were not bothered about what people said. Sakshi’s childhood friend Nitu, one month younger, was similarly determined to get glory in boxing. Nitu won the 48kg category gold in Budapest.

Sakshi’s father Manoj Kumar is a farmer in Dhanana village, 20km from Bhiwani, and Nitu’s father Jai Bhagwan works in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. The two men have been friends for 30 years. 

Tough kid

Jai Bhagwan says Nitu was a physically strong child. “She would beat up her cousin, who is older to her, as they would wrestle for fun,” he says. He thought she could make a future in sports, which in turn would open employment opportunities. So, when Sakshi got enrolled at Bhiwani Boxing Club, it was natural that Nitu would follow her there.

“I was the first girl from my village to get enrolled for boxing,” says Sakshi. “My father used to take me for training on his motorcycle, in the morning and evening. My mother also has been very supportive. As our training has shifted from Bhiwani to Rohtak Boxing Club (45 km from the village), my father brings milk and other diet everyday.”

Sakshi came into the limelight in 2015 in the Junior World Championship, when she won the 54kg gold by beating US national champion Yarisel Ramirez. Nitu started training in 2012 and won her first national title in 2015 in, in the 48kg category. Both girls won gold at last year’s Guwahati World Youth Championships.

Jagdish’s wards 

“All credit goes to Jagdish sir,” says Sakshi, referring to the famous Jagdish Singh, who had nurtured innumerable boxers, including Vijender Singh.

“My father supported me, so much so that he used to take leave without pay as he would have to be at village to take me to training,” says Nitu. “My mother also supported me completely.”

The two are excited about moving to a higher level of boxing in the future. “We will play in the elite category from April 2019,” said Nitu. “I am in 48kg category, same as Mary Kom, and that makes me very happy.”