Boxing Days: The Hindu Editorial on Nikhat Zareen

For a country that sought inspiration from boxing Six-time World Boxing Champion MC Mary Kom And Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen’s world title There is a fresh source of optimism in the women’s 52kg category in Istanbul. Born in Nizamabad Nikhat’s struggle story Quite different from those emerging from Haryana or the North East. Massive celebration of his success in India should further increase the spread of boxing within the country. As the fifth world champion Indian female boxer, who is the only woman after Mary to win gold in the last 16 years, Nikhat joins an exclusive club of Mary, Sarita Devi, RL Jenny and KC Lekha. After that his gold was the first by an Indian woman Mary’s sixth world title in 2018, For boxing fans, who were disappointed after India’s low-profile performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where Lovlina won the lone bronze medal, Nikhat has provided excitement. Nikhat’s journey was full of challenges and she was determined to break barriers. When, as a teenager, he learned that girls were not encouraged to take up boxing in his area because the combat sport was considered tailor-made for boys, Nikhat switched from running to boxing to prove his point. Turned. Belonging to a Muslim family, he overcame the barriers created by the conservatives in the society.

When Nikhat, the 2011 world junior champion, tried to graduate at the elite level, a shoulder injury in 2017 put a year away from her. Two years later, she was embroiled in a controversy when she fell on the wrong side of her idol Mary for the trials of an Olympic qualifier. She lost the trial and it sparked an argument and left a trail of bad blood. But nothing could put a dent in Nikhat’s steely resolve. Her parents remained her pillars of strength through thick and thin. The 25-year-old, who epitomizes the rise of women’s power in the sport, worked hard with various coaches and took the best lessons from them to emerge as one of the finest boxers. Nikhat’s new status will boost his confidence and make him stronger for events like the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics. An ample supply of talented boxers will only benefit the country in search of a better performance in Paris. As a world champion, Nikhat can inspire many Indian girls, who suppress their desire to take up boxing, as they are wary of a conservative society. May Nikhat’s story strike a chord with talented boxers and inspire them to follow in the footsteps of the new poster girl of the Indian sport.