New Delhi, 10 April (H.S.):

India’s campaign at the Asian Boxing Championships culminated in a rich haul of 16 medals, underlining a strong and balanced performance across both men’s and women’s categories. The Indian contingent finished second in the gold‑medal tally with five golds, while topping the overall medals table—an outcome that has been welcomed as a clear sign of boxing’s rising depth in the country.

In the men’s 50kg category, Vishvanath Suresh delivered a commanding performance to clinch India’s only gold in the men’s division. Facing Japan’s Daichi Iwai in the final, Suresh dominated from the opening round, securing a unanimous 5–0 verdict and becoming the sole Indian male boxer to stand on top of the podium at this edition.

India ended the championships with five gold medals overall, trailing Kazakhstan by just one gold at the top of the honours list. However, in terms of total medals, India led the board, a reflection of the breadth of talent across weight classes and age groups.

In the men’s 60kg final, Sachin Siwach pushed Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Orazbek Asilkulov to a close contest but ultimately fell 2–3, settling for a silver medal. Siwach’s performance against such a high‑calibre opponent was widely praised as a sign of India’s growing competitiveness at the elite level.

In the heavyweight and super‑heavyweight divisions, Harsh Chaudhary (90kg), Aakash (75kg), Lokesh (85kg) and Narendra (+90kg) each secured bronze medals, rounding out a solid men’s tally that combined tactical maturity with aggressive ring‑presence.

Women’s Dominance: Four Golds, Two Silvers, Four Bronze

India’s women spearheaded the medal count, with all ten of the country’s female boxers returning with podium finishes. Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg) and Arundhati Chaudhary (70kg) each claimed gold, showcasing India’s expanding dominance in the lighter and middle‑weight categories.

Jasmine Lambhoria (57kg) and Alfiya Pathan (+80kg) added silver medals to the collection, while Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Ankushita Boro (65kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) and Puja Rani (80kg) picked up bronze.

Across the board, the women’s team not only secured top‑ranked finishing positions but also underlined the depth of India’s women’s boxing programme, which has steadily built on Olympic and World‑Championship successes.

Acknowledging the scale of the achievement, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh lauded the team’s performance, describing the campaign as “exceptionally successful for Indian boxing.” He highlighted that the women’s four golds were particularly significant, proving that India remains a leading force in Asian women’s boxing.

Singh also singled out the young boxers in the squad, noting that the mix of veterans and emerging talent—seen in both the men’s and women’s camps—has sent a positive signal for India’s prospects at future global events, including the Olympics and World Championships. The Asian Championships, he said, have demonstrated that India’s boxing pipeline is not only broad but also increasingly competitive at the highest level.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar