Nitya Pandey (special arrangements)
Nitya Pandey’s parents have different abilities.Her father, Birendra Kumar, a retired government school teacher, suffered a head injury in his youth after a fall and underwent surgery, resulting in damage to his right arm and leg.
Meanwhile, her mother suffers from a physical disability that has affected one of her legs since birth.
As a result, they were not able to achieve all their dreams, but their daughter is definitely trying to make up for it the best she can.Early this week, the 13-year-old from Pipra, Aurangabad, in Bihar, was selected for the Asian Junior Boxing Championships to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 1-16 after coming out on top during the trials in Patiala.Having started her training at the Khelo India Junior Center in Aurangabad under coach Akhil Raj just to maintain her fitness, she will now compete in the 52-55kg category in the U-15 group, and can’t wait to pull on the India jersey for the first time.“I feel thrilled to know that from now on, ‘India’ will be written on my back next to my name,” said Pandey, who is currently training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) camp in Pune ahead of the continental tournament.
None of this would have been possible without her coach, Raj, who started training her two years ago.“To this day, he remains the most important person behind my success. He trained me, taught me and prepared me to compete and win at the state and national levels,” Pandey said.He added: “Even now, as I prepare for the Asian stage, he is the one who continues to motivate me, and reminds me that I am no less than anyone else and that I can achieve this.”Speaking of his student, Raj himself couldn’t help but feel proud. After all, it was Raj who pushed her to go on trial at the SAI center in Hisar, where she had honed her skills over the past year.“It’s still at a young stage, but dedication to the sport is essential. The desire to achieve is evident in her. Regular training helps, and at such a young age, you can’t expect more than that. Consistency is key,” said Raj, who is currently training in Patiala.“In terms of her playing style, her height gives her an advantage with longer range. She plays a clean game and uses that reach effectively.”Besides her coach, she is also grateful to her mother, Shweta Kumari, a homemaker, who has always supported her boxing career.“My mom tells me that whatever I’m really interested in, I should stick with it. She doesn’t believe in trying to do a little bit of everything. She feels that no one can truly be the best at everything.
“Since you are boxing now, focus on it and do it very well,” Pandey added.At the same time, she is a huge fan of Olympic bronze medalist and six-time world champion MC Mary Kom, and tries to incorporate her style into her game.The young woman added: “I really like her style. For example, the way she hits her right hook, I find that very impressive. I also admire the way she keeps her distance and fights from the outside.”Whether she can emulate her idol, even to some extent, is something we will have to see. For now, her current accomplishment is worth celebrating. But what stands out is her focus and ambition. “I want to be the best boxer in Bihar and, ultimately, the best in India,” she said.
