Teen star Rani already a role model at her village

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, October 16

Boxer Manju Rani, winner of a silver medal at the women’s World Championship in Russia recently, was today given a hero’s welcome at her village, Rithal, where she stepped for the first time since becoming India’s most successful boxer in Russia.

A large number of village folk turned up to welcome her, apart from her own family, friends and boxing mates. A few politicians from different parties also greeted her, though government functionaries — including people’s representatives and Sports Department officials — were conspicuous by their absence.

Father figure

Talking to The Tribune, Manju attributed her success to her basic coach-cum-mentor Sahab Singh Narwal, who adopted her after the untimely demise of her father. It is Narwal who has been taking care of her education and training since then.

“We did not have a boxing ring at the village. Sahab uncle used to train me and other children of the village at his agricultural land near a pond,” recalled Manju, who turns 20 later this month. “I had no gloves, no shoes and used to practise boxing with a punching bag hung from a tree,” she added.

It was the death of her father, BSF Havaldar Bhimsen Singh, due to stomach cancer that turned her to boxing. She dealt with the anger at the loss of her father by raining punches on the punching bag — and she fell in love with the sport.

Her mother, Ishwanti Devi, brought up her five children with difficulty on her husband’s pension. However, since it was difficult to make ends meet, she opened a cosmetics shop in the village.

Olympic dreams

Now Manju’s target is to win medals at the big multi-sport events such as the Asian Games and Olympics. “It is the start,” she said. “I want to win medals at big events like the Asian Games and Olympic Games.”

Manju is unlikely to fight at the 2020 Olympics — she boxes in the 48kg category, but this category does not exist in the Olympics. She must move to the higher category, 51kg, to fight at the Olympic Games. However, Mary Kom is India’s top 51kg boxer, and it is she who would go to the qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics in the 51kg class. Unless something unforeseen happens, Manju’s Olympics dreams will have to begin at Paris 2024.

Hardworking

Coach Narwal said that Manju has been a disciplined, sincere and hardworking sportsperson, and these are the factors that have made her a champion.

Gitika, Tanu and other girls of Manju’s village, who are also undergoing boxing training at the village and came to Rohtak to welcome Manju on her return from Russia, see her as a role model. “Manju has made it big. Her life story is an inspiration for us. We also hope to represent our country and bring laurels to it someday,” said Gitika.