Brought home by Covid, couple unboxes talent in Una

Rajesh Sharma

Una, December 17

Rajesh Kumar and Saroj Sharma of Hamboli village in Gagret subdivision of Una district are qualified boxing coaches of the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. They were running a coaching academy in Gurugram when the Covid broke out. As life became difficult for them, the couple decided to head back home in August 2020.

With nothing to do, Rajesh decided to gather children from the neighbourhood for a training session. The children got interested and within no time, boxing sessions became a regular event. Rajesh withdrew some of his savings and with the consent of his two brothers constructed a boxing ring on his ancestral property. He also purchased some boxing gloves, shoes and T-shirts, which he distributed free to the children. He removed the ceiling fan from his verandah and hung a gunny bag filled with sand to the hook there for use as a punching bag. After the sessions, the couple would give milk and fruit to the children. This was how the Saksham Boxing Academy came into being at Hamboli village.

Persistence and hard work started delivering results in 2021 as seven girls from the academy won medals in the Sub-Junior State Boxing Championship held at Kinnaur. In 2022, boys won seven medals in the Sub-Junior State Championship at Kangra and Una district was declared the overall runner up.

Hamboli resident Pavittar Kumar, who is a trainee at the academy, won the gold medal in the nationals, while seven other players secured medals at the Sub-Junior and Junior National Games held in Sikkim and Karnataka in 2022.

Rajesh said that one of their players won the gold medal in the 2022 National School Games, while other players got seven gold medals in the 2023 School National Games. Academy trainee Aryan Sharma from Bhanjal village won a silver medal in the 2023 Youth National Games, said Saroj.

In 2021, the Covid pandemic was almost over. “We did not want to abandon the budding boxing talent here, but earning money was also important. We decided that either of the two will be present at Hamboli at any given time, while the other will run the Gurugram academy,” said Saroj. DC Raghav Sharma has provided Rs 3 lakh as grant, said Rajesh.

NGO extends helping hand

• ‘Feeding India’, a non-government organisation, which is also associated with Zomato, has offered free diet to trainees of the Saksham Boxing Academy
• With the help of the NGO, they are providing milk, fruit, eggs, porridge and sprouts to the trainees free of cost
• Rajesh Kumar and his wife Saroj have extended the facility to nearby schools and students of Shaheed Bhagat Singh School at Hamboli are now getting free diet after training sessions