New Delhi: Rajasthan hasn't been known for boxing until recently. However, the state is now making a name for itself in the sport. At the latest women’s boxing national championships in Greater Noida, three boxers from Rajasthan brought home medals.

Sunita Saharan (51kg), Lalita Guleria (70kg), and Shweta (75kg) each secured bronze medals, reflecting the growing momentum of boxing in the state. Jaipur’s Lakshya Chahar, the current national champion in the light heavyweight division, along with Kota’s Arundhati Choudhary, a world youth champion from 2021, are already well-known figures in the national scene. Both athletes also participated in the qualifiers for the Paris Olympics.

The path to success for Rajasthan's boxers often leads them to Bhiwani, the hub of Indian boxing. This city, located near the Rajasthan border, has become a key training ground. Many boxers enroll in Bhiwani's boxing clubs and rent accommodations for months leading up to competitions.

This necessity arises because the training facilities in Rajasthan haven't kept pace with the growing interest in the sport. “We have to come to Bhiwani to train because there are no good quality coaching facilities in the state,” Shweta explained.

Shweta, hailing from Ajmer, dedicated eight months in Bhiwani to prepare for the national championship. “I live in a rented place and train with Jagdish Singh Sir. Usually, I only go there during the summer or right before competitions, but this time I had to extend my stay in Bhiwani because the nationals were delayed multiple times,” shared the 26-year-old, who is excited to join the national camp for the first time.

The Bhiwani Boxing Club, led by Dronacharya Award winner Jagdish Singh, is a popular training spot for boxers from Rajasthan. Notable boxers like Sunita (51kg) and Lalita (70kg) have also trained there at various stages of their careers.

After completing their initial training, the boxers aim to join the SAI’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Rohtak. “Currently, there are about 15 boys and girls from Rajasthan at NCOE Rohtak. The state is quickly becoming a hotbed for boxing talent. We have some promising young boxers coming up at the age-group level,” said Bhaskar Bhatt, who has recently stepped down as SAI’s High-Performance Director for Boxing.

A number of boxers hail from Churu in Rajasthan, which is close to Bhiwani. Sunita, who grew up in a farming family in Churu, started her boxing journey in Bhiwani before joining the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE). Unfortunately, she had to leave in 2023 due to her performance. “I wasn’t able to deliver results, and they asked me to go. It hit me hard,” Sunita shared.

This setback motivated her to elevate her game. She returned to training in Bhiwani last year and clinched medals in university competitions. Now, she has her first medal from the national championships. “That tough time made me stronger, and I was able to push myself this year,” she reflected.

Lalita, who earned a medal at the Asian Youth Championships, felt let down by her performance this time around, especially since she had won gold in the last edition. She was inspired to take up boxing by her aunt, Kavita Chahal, a two-time world championships medallist in the +81kg category from Haryana.

On the other hand, Arundhati trained in Kota with a wushu coach, Ashok Gautam. “I just wanted to box, but there were no boxing coaches in Kota. So, I trained with my coach, who learned from watching boxing videos. We had just one small indoor hall for training, and sometimes I had to practice outside,” she explained.

Arundhati's love for boxing quickly led her to victories at the national age group level, earning her a spot in Indian training camps. Following her achievements, Kota has now been designated as a Khelo India Centre for boxing, complete with a coach. “There’s still a lot to improve in terms of facilities, but I’m glad that something is finally available for young boxers to train in Kota.”

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