In tribal Kinnaur, schoolteacher helps girls pack a punch
The picturesque Sangla valley in tribal Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh is emerging as a powerhouse in women boxing, courtesy a schoolteacher whose own journey in the sport was cut short by an eye injury. Over the past few years, four women boxers from Sangla have won medals in international events and several others have knocked out their opponents in national and Khelo India games.
Opinder Negi, who joined the government middle school at Sangla as a trained graduate teacher in 2012, was forced to quit boxing after the injury. Yet, he couldn’t give it up altogether. Back in the village, he started training schoolchildren before and after school hours. Young boxing enthusiasts started turning up in droves. Girls outnumbered boys — and eventually outshone them too.
“Four of our girls have won medals for India. Several others are progressing well, winning medals in national events. We have now set our sights on Asian Games and Olympics,” says the 46-year-old teacher. In view of his spectacular achievements, the Education Department has chosen Negi for the HP State Teachers Award, to be presented on the occasion of Teacher’s Day in Shimla on Thursday. The journey to this recognition, however, wasn’t that easy. The school had no equipment or facility for boxing when he joined. “For the first few years, Negi sir spent from own pocket to buy gloves, punching bags and other equipment for all of us. Gradually, he started taking us to tournaments and bore all expenses. It’s due to his efforts that we have reached this far,” says Vinakshi, one of the international boxers from Sangla. “He wouldn’t let us skip a session, even in rain or snow. If we didn’t show up for training, he would come to our houses and drag us to the ground,” she recalls.
In 2018, Negi and his trainees received a shot in the arm when the JSW Group, which operates a power project in Kinnaur, stepped in to help the boxing enthusiasts. “The JSW Group owner saw us training in snow under a tarpaulin. Impressed by our grit and the results, he got an indoor boxing ring built for us,” says Negi. The group now offers scholarships and diet money to promising boxers.
The boxing centre, however, suffered a setback when Negi was transferred to another school, about 60 km away, a year ago. “My niece now looks after the centre. I provide her the training schedule for a week and children are trained accordingly,” he says. But the locals feel the centre is bound to suffer in Negi’s absence. “He is the force behind the boxing centre. He must be brought back to ensure Sangla keeps shining,” asserts Lokesh Kumar, Sangla panchayat vice-pradhan.
