13-Year-Old Nitya Pandey Selected for Sub-junior Asian Boxing Championship

Nitya Pandey's parents are both differently abled. Her father, Birendra Kumar, a retired govt school teacher, suffered a head injury in his youth after a fall and underwent surgery, which left his right arm and leg impaired. Her mother, meanwhile, has had a physical disability affecting one of her legs since birth. As a result, they haven't been able to fulfil all their dreams, but their daughter is certainly striving to make up for it to the best of her abilities.

Early this week the 13-year-old girl from Pipra, Aurangabad, in Bihar, was selected for the Sub-junior Asian Boxing Championship to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 1-16 after coming out on top during the trials held in Patiala. Having begun her training at Khelo India Small Centre in Aurangabad under coach Akhil Raj just to stay fit, she will now be competing in the 52-55kg category in the U-15 group, and she can't wait to wear the India jersey for the first time.

“I feel an immense sense of joy knowing that, from now on, 'India' will be written on my back alongside my name,” said Pandey, who is currently training at Sports Authority of India (SAI) camp in Pune ahead of the continental tournament. And neither of this could have been possible had it not been for her coach Raj, who started to train her two years ago.

“To this day, he remains to be 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,” said Pandey. “Even now, as I gear up for the Asian stage, it is he who continues to motivate me, reminding me that I am no less than anyone and that I can achieve this.”

Speaking of his pupil, Raj himself couldn't help but feel proud. It was after all Raj who had pushed her to go for trials at the SAI centre in Hisar, where she has further honed her skills over the past one year.

“She is still at an early stage, but dedication to the sport is essential. The hunger to achieve is clearly visible in her. Regular training helps, and at such a young age, you can't expect much more than this. Consistency is key,” said Raj, who is currently training in Patiala. “In terms of her playing style, her height gives her an advantage with a longer reach. She plays a clean game and uses that reach effectively.”

Besides her coach, she is also thankful to her mother, Shweta Kumari, a homemaker, who has always supported her boxing career.

“My mom tells me that whatever I'm truly interested in, I should stick with it. She doesn't believe in trying to do a little bit of everything. She feels no one can truly be the best at absolutely everything. She says, 'Since you're boxing right now, focus on it and do it exceptionally well,'” added Pandey.

Meanwhile, she is a big fan of Olympic bronze medallist and six-time world champion MC Mary Kom and has been trying to incorporate her style in her game.

“I really like her technique. For instance, the way she lands her right hooks, I find that very impressive. I also admire how she maintains her distance and fights from the outside,” added the youngster.

Whether she can emulate her idol, even to some extent, is something that remains to be seen. For now, her current feat deserves to be celebrated. What stands out, however, is her focus and ambition, as she said, “I want to become the best boxer in Bihar, and eventually, the best in India.”