Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Commonwealth Games 2022: Celebrations in Haryana village as Indian boxer Amit Panghal wins gold

As Indian boxer Amit Panghal on Sunday clinched the men's flyweight (51kg) gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, celebrations broke out back home in Rohtak's Mayna village.

By Pti
Commonwealth Games 2022: Celebrations in Haryana village as Indian boxer Amit Panghal wins gold

Chandigarh, Aug 7: As Indian boxer Amit Panghal on Sunday clinched the men's flyweight (51kg) gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, celebrations broke out back home in Rohtak's Mayna village.

Women from the village could be seen dancing and singing in joy at the boxer's home. Scenes of celebrations were similar to the ones witnessed last month in Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra's village in Panipat after he won a silver medal in the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA.

Boxer's father Vijender Panghal, a farmer, said that "we had full faith and belief that he would win gold this time. He worked very hard for this". Ajay, brother of Panghal who is in the Army, told reporters in the village that he was feeling very proud of the achievement of his brother who has brought laurels to his nation.

Carrying tricolour in his hand, Ajay said Amit had promised that he would bring gold from the Commonwealth Games. Amit's sister-in-law said that the boxer always kept focus on his game and lived a very disciplined life.

"He has been persistently putting in hard work and performing in top tournaments and games. He has once again made India and Haryana proud," said a villager.

Panghal bettered his silver from the last edition as he out-punched European Championship silver medallist England's Kiaran MacDonald by a 5-0 verdict in the men's flyweight.

Nitu Ghanghas, another boxer from Haryana who won gold at the Commonwealth Games, is the daughter of an employee of the Haryana Assembly. Coming from a humble background, Nitu's father Jai Bhagwan, who works as a bill messenger, was the one who pushed her daughter to take to this sport and enrolled her at an academy in her hometown in district Bhiwani, which is considered a boxing nursery.

Commonwealth Games 2022: Celebrations in Haryana village as Indian boxer Amit Panghal wins gold

Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta congratulated Bhagwan, a statement here said. The statement further said that Bhagwan thanked the Speaker and said that due to the positive and cooperative attitude of the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, he has been able to get the daughter prepared so well.

Players from Haryana continued to perform exceedingly well at the Commonwealth Games, bringing laurels to the country with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other leaders congratulating them for their stellar performance. Besides boxers Panghal and Ghanghas, other players who have brought laurels include wrestlers Ravi Dahiya, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Naveen Kumar, and Bajrang Punia.

Khattar said that "today Haryana has made an indelible mark in the field of sports". He said sports is ingrained in Haryana's culture and the BJP-led government on its part has given its sportspersons the required facilities and infrastructure needed to excel. The chief minister claimed that many other states are looking to emulate Haryana's outstanding sports policy.

"We have a 'catch them young policy' and we nurture them and provide the right environment to budding sportspersons right from the state...For the medal winners, we also give them jobs," he said.

The aim is to make Haryana a sports hub, The chief minister said, adding that the Haryana government is working continuously for the promotion of sports and for all-round development of sportspersons. While Haryana players had made a sizeable contribution to India's overall medal tally at the Tokyo Olympic Games, the state in June this year won the overall championship trophy in the Khelo India Youth Games.

Story first published: Sunday, August 7, 2022, 22:00 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 7, 2022