Pugilists put Ludhiana's Chakar village on world boxing map

India’s pugilists have won the country international recognition with their outstanding performances, despite having previously shown signs of waning interest. The sport has a rich history with Indian boxers consistently having won medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. Professional boxing has also

gained momentum as organisations like the Indian Professional Boxing Association (IPBA) are widely promoting the sport.

Chakar village, locate

d in the Jagraon tehsil of Ludhiana district, has made a significant impact on the global boxing stage. The village has produced a remarkable number of talented boxers, who have represented India at various prestigious international championships.

Principal Balwant Singh Sandhu’s initiative, with the help of Ajmer Singh Sidhu and Baldev Singh Sidhu, led to the birth of Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy in 2006. The academy’s rigorous training programme has facilitated in shaping many young boxers into confident and focused athletes.

In addition to the Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy, 5Jab Foundation, an established NGO, committed to the development of healthy and contributing youths to the society through sports, opened a boxing academy at Chakar village, imparting coaching to aspiring players.

Another boxing academy, being run under the banner of 5Jab Foundation, was started a couple of years ago at Jarkhar village, on the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road, to promote the sport in this region. The 5Jab foundation offers necessary equipment, including boxing rings and sports gear, to support the the development of young boxers and provides scholarships based on performance, encouraging athletes to excel in the sport, aiming to maximise representation from Punjab for the Olympic Games.

These academies have been instrumental in empowering women in the village and nearby areas, helping them build confidence and develop skills that go beyond boxing. These have produced talented boxers like Shivinder Kaur, Harpreet Kaur, Mandeep Kaur and Simranjeet Kaur, who have successfully participated in international competitions. Simranjeet Kaur Dhanjal bagged the bronze in World Boxing Championship at Delhi in 2018 and secured a silver in the Asian U-17 Boxing Championship at Jordan this year. In addition to this, she also qualified for the Tokyo Olympics-2021. Mandeep Kaur secured a gold medal in the Junior World Boxing Championship in China in 2015 and was also declared the Best Boxer of Asia in 2016.

Shivinder Kaur Sidhu proved her class by clinching the gold at the World Police Games in Canada. Ramandeep Kaur emerged victorious in the World Boxing Council Championship in Thailand. Besides, a large number of girl boxers from Chakar Academy have stamped their superiority in different national-level championships.

Earlier, over 125 aspiring boxers used to receive training at Chakar village and around 70 pugilists turn up at Jarkhar but of late, there has been a decline in interest for boxing among youngsters. Now, the total strength of trainees at both the venues stands at 50.

Some schools in the district have incorporated boxing into their curriculum or it as an extracurricular activity, providing students with a unique opportunity to develop physical skills, discipline and confidence. This can improve cardiovascular health, strength and agility.

As Chakar village has established itself as a hub for producing talented boxers, indicating a strong foundation for the sport, these academies will go on nurturing aspiring pugilists and play a significant role in contributing to India’s boxing landscape.