Former world junior champion boxer Mandeep Kaur is hoping that a second consecutive National Games silver medal would open up doors for her recruitment in Punjab Police and end her dependence on her father’s farm earnings to fund her.
A two-time gold medallist at the Inter-University Games, and a Khelo India University Games gold medallist in 2023, Mandeep had bagged a silver last year in Gujarat and repeated that feat in the 37th National Games at the Peddem Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
In the final, she went down by Unanimous Decision (0-5) against Haryana’s Manisha Moun in the 57 kg Featherweight category.
“It’s been a tough journey, especially when I have to keep going back to my father asking for money for supplements. Whatever pocket money I get from my family is exhausted in dietary requirements. It is difficult when you don’t have any sponsors to back you. But then life is all about hopes, and I hope the doors open for me after these National Games,” she said.
Mandeep, who hails from Chakar village near Ludhiana which is also the native place of Tokyo Olympian Simranjit Kaur Baath, fell in love with the sport at the age of seven. But her father’s financial condition made it difficult for him to pay for her gloves or training equipment. Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy then came forward to support her and Mandeep hasn’t looked back since then.
The youngster, who had joined the academy after following in the footsteps of her elder brother Jagwinder Singh, won the 2011 and 2012 National Sub-junior titles, before picking up a gold medal in the 4th Junior Nations Boxing Cup held in Serbia in 2015.
After the junior world championship gold, boxer Mandeep was selected to train under Dronacharya awardee Cuban coach Blas Iglesias Fernandez at PIS, Mohali. “Simranjit and I train at the same centre in Mohali under Fernandez sir. There are many boxers from Punjab and across the country who come and train at the academy, where thankfully I don’t have to worry about diet when I am there,” she said.
With Parveen Hooda already sealing a quota place for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Featherweight division, Mandeep is now eyeing a gold at the upcoming senior national championships, to present her case for inclusion in the national camp.
And after the National Games, Mandeep will head back to the camp in Mohali to prepare for the senior national boxing championships in Noida in December.
“It will be a very busy year for all boxers. I will head straight to the camp after the National Games, and will start preparing for the national championships. Winning the nationals will open the doors for national selection,” the 2019 national championship bronze medallist said before signing off.