When they batted and bowled to glory, these women punched their way to notice

When she was in Class VIII, P. Anitha learnt how it feels to wear the boxing gloves. She fell for the sport hook, jab and cross. Eking out a living running a petty shop, her parents allowed her to pursue boxing on one condition: she would hang up the gloves once she completed schooling and started collegiate education. Anitha agreed to the condition back then, but did not comply with it. Today, her parents are glad she did not.

Sangeetha R. had the street fighter in her, and would get into brawls at the drop of a hat. The streets of Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar in Perumbur being tough, Sangeetha’s mother Dilli Rani feared for her daughter’s safety. And she decided to channel the girl’s pugnacity into the boxing ring. Today, the mother’s decision has been vindicated.

Anitha and Sangeetha make up the winsome six of the women’s boxing team at Agurchand Manmull Jain College in Meenambakkam. They did their college and families proud by winning medals at the C.M. Trophy State Boxing Championship 2025 held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

All of them had more than competitors in the boxing ring to beat. They had financial, social and cultural odds to beat.

Anitha relocated from a remote village in Madurai one-and-a-half years ago after clearing the ‘TALENT’ programme conducted by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The youngest of three sisters, Anitha hails from a social milieu where girls were married off early, in their early twenties. Anitha persuaded her parents to let her chase her dreams. “Give me three more years,” she asked them.

Twenty-two-years-old now, Anitha has won gold in the C.M. Trophy State Boxing Championship in 2024 and 2025, besides other accomplishments at the university and national level.

“I want a government job, because that would enable me to not only settle down, but also allow me to continue with boxing,” says Anitha, now in the second year of a bachelors course in Criminology and Criminal Justice Science.

Sangeetha R., who won the silver medal in 51-54 kg category and a cash prize of ₹75,000, has been relentless in the pursuit of boxing glory. She has the backing of her mother, Dilli Rani, a single parent who works as a tailor.

As a Class IV student, Sangeetha got introduced to boxing. The beginnings were modest, her coach training her in the street. In higher secondary school, she started participating in tournaments and it was during a tournament at Erode, a coach asked her to appear for the SDAT hostel selections. And she was on the path to recognition.

With the cash prize she won last year winning silver in the CM Trophy, Sangeetha bought her mother a Scooty. “When I was in Class XI, my mother used to take me in her cycle to the ICF Club. I had to reach the club by 5 a.m. for practice. The streets used to be pitch-dark and often, we would be the only people on the road, heading to the venue. So when I won the cash prize I decided this was the least I could give my mom for all that she has done for me,” says 18-year-old Sangeetha.

Rigorous training

The six girls in Agurchand Manmull Jain College’s women’s boxing team start their day early, taking up practice from 5.30 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. after which they head to college. In the evening, they again practise for two hours. Ahead of a tournament, the practice sessions get longer.

The girls are grateful for the constant motivation given by their boxing coach “J. Narmada maam” from SDAT and the huge support they receive from the college.

“I expected some fee waiver as I won medals but never expected so much support from the college and the Department of Physical Education. They even give us a food card of ₹ 70 that we can avail,” says Sangeetha, dreaming of making the city proud with her punches.

Published – November 05, 2025 11:17 pm IST