India’s jewel box

So during the Asian Qualifiers at Astana where three more quotas were added to the existing four — to include four teenagers — a series of celebratory phone calls went back and forth from Sonepat and Pune,between the national sub-junior and juniors coach MS Dhaka and the youth category coach G Manoharan. The duo,over the years,traded notes whenever Dhaka would send a junior boxer to Manoharan’s youth team camps — akin to a secondary school ward moving into high school smoothly. So,when Assamese Shiva Thapa and Haryana’s Sumit Sangwan booked their berths to become a part of India’s largest ever boxing contingent for the Olympics,the junior coaches were quick to dial the other charges — L Devendro Singh and Vikas Krishan to share the good news.

“They are still my junior boxers and Manoharan’s youth boxers. When they were in Astana,Manoharan and I were constantly in touch and would watch the bouts with the current batch,” says Dhaka. “Sometimes,they call us to know about opponents who had earlier taken part in a World or Asian Junior Championship,and we give them advise.” Sharing 12 international medals amongst themselves,the London-bound quartet has emerged as India’s next medal hopes for this Olympics. If it was a first-time opportunity in the senior team for Devendro and Sumit in last year’s World Championship at Milan and Qualifiers at Astana respectively,Thapa and Vikas — who turned 20 in Fenruary — too proved their mettle with medals in their first senior event. No growing-up pangs here.

Packing the first punch

It all started in 2001 for the young lot,including the then 16-year-old Vijender Singh,when the sub-junior category was introduced in Indian boxing. Although Vijender failed to fetch a medal in the 2001 World Cadet Championships,the Indian junior teams have won more than 20 medals in junior and youth World Championships since. “This turnaround started when the sub-junior category was introduced. We claimed a medal in the first World Cadet Championship in 2001 when Ajitpal won bronze. At that time,boxers came directly into the senior team but once we started winning medals at the junior world championships,it all changed for us,” adds Dhaka.

Last year,when the boxing world body AIBA made changes in the format — making it more attacking — and displaying scores only at the end of rounds,many senior Indian boxers faced difficulties adjusting and the team did poorly on the tours to Cuba and France. But of the four boxers who reached the quarterfinals in the next World Championships (Milan),three were from the junior brigade.

For long,and across sports,Indians have struggled to adjust to rule-revisions which make sports faster or more power-packed. But Manoharan believes that the current crop has gotten over that by playing in the European and Central Asian circuits in their junior days. “Most of them did not have a problem when AIBA tweaked the rules. Thapa,Devendro and Vikas are known for their aggressive style. It has come from playing in the Eurasian belt during junior days,” says Manoharan.

Life in a boxing commune

At the National Institute for Sports,Patiala,when Vikas Krishan,the 2007 World Cadet Champion and 2010 World Youth Champion,was inducted into the national camp early last year,his teammates from the junior days,Thapa,Sumit Sangwan and Devendro Singh would often call up to find out about the camp. Five months later,Thapa and Devendro too made it there and it was just like their junior days for the trio. If Devendro had the company of long time friend and 2008 World Youth Champion Nanao Singh in the camp,Vikas and Thapa made sure they roomed opposite Vijender and Akhil Kumar.

“The transition was not tough at all. Most of the seniors had heard about us and during the practice sessions,they would give us our space and it was most heartening. Most of us either belong to Haryana or North East and they would help us when we needed to send something home. These small things meant a lot,” shares Thapa,who believes the guru-chela culture,similar to that in wrestling,created bonds that have lasted the test of time.

When Nanao Singh had to undergo a wrist surgery last year,it was Devendro who supported his idol. “Despite being a rival in the 49 kg category,Devendro has always supported me. Two years ago,when I had a wrist surgery,I was very low and close to quitting the sport. But Devendro insisted I continue the rehabilitation and that took me through,” says Nanao. “I am now 22 and believe I have a chance for the Rio 2016 Olympics.”

With the Indian senior team getting a new air-conditioned hall last year — they mostly trained in wooden and tin shelters before Beijing — the youngsters were the first to benefit. A ten-point scientific training method and individual sessions during their youth days meant they each developed their own style. “A young boxer needs 5-6 years of competitive boxing before coming into his own. We have proper training for youngsters with doctors advising them on weight training as their weight fluctuates a lot. They often see videos of rival boxers on the internet and know them by name (as against knowing merely their countries),” says Dhaka.

Need to broadbase talent

Gurcharan Singh might have narrowly missed a medal at Sydney 2000 in the light-heavyweight category,but the subsequent years have yielded returns in the tougher,lighter sections too. “Earlier,we won medals in heavy-weight categories only,but after the erstwhile Soviet federation countries came into the Asian category,we could not win many medals in those categories. The early emergence of young boxers in the senior category meant we are now doing well in the light-weight categories,” observes national coach Ramanand.

Sometimes,Dhaka had to face the selectors’ ire for his team selection but the coach insisted on giving his wards foreign exposure. “Two years ago,when Sumit Sangwan was selected for the Asian Junior Championships,a lot of officials objected to his name. I insisted that he is world-class and he brought a medal for India,” shares Dhaka.

Future expectations

With AIBA fixing the age for mandatory retirement at 32,most of the current crop of seniors will not be eligible for the Rio Olympics,but Akhil feels the young quartet will carry the baton in Rio,and further. He claims that early international exposure has made a big diference. “I made my international debut in 1997 in the Bradenburg Cup held in Germany as a junior boxer. At that time,we would take part in one overseas tournament a year. In 2001,when I shifted to the senior category,the World Cadet started and now the youngsters go abroad as many as 4-5 times a year.”

As one gets the exposure one learns how to behave well. They know the importance of discipline and never miss a training session ever,” says Akhil.

The Indian team is expected to come back from Astana shortly,and for coaches Dhaka and Manoharan,preparing the next batch of World Championships and Asian champions will be key to ensuring a constant stream of talent in the coming years.

“They are like our kids. When they went with us for tours,we made sure they never missed home. Once in Uzbekistan for the Junior world championships,Devendro did not even go to the nearby market. His cousins wanted him to bring new shoes but he did not go. He did not want to miss training sessions,” says Manoharan. And then,as a happy afterthought,he adds: “Perhaps,he will do it after a medal in London.”