Pugilist Rohit Chamoli wants to play for Chandigarh with same coach

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 30

Chandigarh’s 16-year-old pugilist Rohit Chamoli hogged the limelight by clinching the 48-kg gold medal in the Asian Junior Boxing Championship in Dubai. However, his real struggle to decide whether to opt for another base in nearby states or continue under his favourite coach begins now.

His concern is genuine for the reason that larger the achievement, the more practice he needs to retain the honour. Neither is his family well-equipped to provide him with a good diet, nor his coach, who is an ASI with the Punjab Police. So, like his fellow pugilists, he will either shift to the SAI Centre or the PIS Centre in Punjab. He obviously didn’t wish to, but given the circumstances he has no other option.

“I wish to play for Chandigarh and under the same coach. However, good diet is a major concern. I have to shift to other hostels to fulfil this requirement. If I get everything here, I will love to stay in the city,” said Chamoli, a student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16.

His coach Joginder Kumar is also proud of his ward’s achievement, but is equally concerned about him shifting to some other venue. Kumar, a former national-level boxer, trains young boxers out of his passion at Bougainvillea Garden, Sector 3.

“Unlike other coaching centres, I didn’t have a proper set-up or boxing ring for my pugilists. I do give kits and a handful of other equipment to them. However, I cannot give them (trainees) a proper diet. I am a salaried person and have my children to feed too. For covering the diet of trainees, I send them to PIS or SAI centres. With this, they shift their base from here and coach at their new home. Many of my boxers won medals and also got jobs. However, no one really bothers, not even the media, unless boxers like him (Chamoli) make some big achievement,” said Kumar.

Chamoli’s father Jai Prakash, who works as a cook at a hotel in Mohali, said he wished his child to achieve the highest of the honours for India, but he was also concerned about the facilities.

“I wish him to win medals for India in the Olympics. He opted to learn boxing on his own,” said Prakash.

Asked how he manages to give him proper diet and attention, he said: “There’s no special diet for him. I have three children. His elder sister is pursuing graduation and younger brother is studying in school. I will do whatever coach (Kumar) will ask us. Even I am helpless amid limited resources. I just hope he continues to play.”

Another player in the making

Krrish Pal, another local player, went down in his quarterfinal bout. Pal, who was adjudged the best boxer at a recently concluded national championship, said he would surely win a medal next year. “I was not feeling well, which affected my performance in the championship. Nevertheless, I will surely win a medal next year,” said Pal.