This is the best Indian boxing team ever assembled, says India’s CWG boxing team

Eight male Indian boxers went to the Commonwealth Games 2018 and each of them returned with a medal. This is the first time in the history of Indian boxing that an entire team has managed to win medals. While the shooters, badminton stars, and the table tennis team won all the accolades, the boxers did their job – quietly, clinically and efficiently.Barely hours after landing in India from the Gold Coast, we spoke to the victorious Indian boxers about the reasons behind the win, the roadmap for the future, and why boxing needs constant television exposure.
Everyone from the male contingent has won a medal. Is this the best lot we have ever sent to a major competition?
Amit Panghal, who won silver medal in Light Flyweight (49 kg category)
Amit Panghal: We have selected good teams in the past, but we all knew that this was the best boxing team we have sent to a major competition so far. There were players from the youth circuit as well as experienced players. We were confident that this team would come back with eight medals. In fact, we feel we could have won more golds.
A lot of boxers come from a humble background and can't afford quality training. Does that not deter many from taking up the sport or at least following through with it?
Gaurav Solanki, who has won gold medal in Flyweight (52 kg category)
Gaurav Solanki: Every sportsperson should have a passion and hunger. The struggles should not be a roadblock in your journey. Jisko bhookh hoti hai voh roti dhoond hi leta hai. Although it does happen that some of the players don't make it due to the lack of proper training and facilities. 100% players toh kisi bhi sport mein aage nahi jaate. But now we have the support from the Boxing Federation of India, Sports Authority of India and Sports Ministry, who are making sure that such a talent is not wasted. The structure supports us now and that is a big plus.
Many times, Indian boxers have claimed they missed out on a medal due to dubious refereeing. Case in point, you exclaiming 'cheating' in your pre-quarterfinal loss at the London Olympics. How much does such a defeat play on a boxer's mind?
Manoj Kumar, who has won bronze medal in Welterweight (69 kg category)
Manoj Kumar: Obviously, we feel disappointed at such a time. Any defeat is demoralizing, but one where you feel you were wronged, is heartbreaking. Truth be told, we face such things even at a smaller level. But a boxer's job is to perform in the ring and that’s all that should matter.
What factors do you think have contributed to the win? What has changed?
Naman Tanwar, who has won bronze medal in Heavyweight (91 kg category)
Naman Tanwar: The biggest change has come with the formation of the federation in 2016. The Boxing Federation of India has given us a lot of exposure and we have got a lot of experience with games and leagues. There are more games and tournaments happening across the country and as a result, more talent is coming into the game. This gives us the confidence to perform.
Five of you belong to the army. Even apart from boxing, army personnel have time and again won a lot of medals for India. What difference does the army make in the life and training of a sportsperson?
Manish Kaushik, who has won silver medal in Lightweight (60 kg category)
Manish Kaushik: It does play a very important role. The kind of facilities and diet you need to be a top level athlete is not something everyone can afford in India. The Army supports you here. Whenever we get a camp break, we go the sports institution (Army Sports Institute). We have the best equipment there and top coaches. The feedback they give helps us develop our game.
Hussamuddin, in a sport dominated by Haryana boys, you are somewhat of an outsider being from Telangana. But for the sport to grow, it needs to be taken to newer centres?
Mohammed Hussamuddin, who has won bronze medal in Bantamweight (56 kg category)
Mohammed Hussamuddin: Yes, of course! And for that, you need full support from the authorities. Before BFI's formation, boxing wasn’t as structured as the other games. A player had nobody to turn to if they wanted to play. The federation has helped us scout more talent. Earlier, only one or two players used to get opportunities, but now everybody is getting a chance. It's possible only because of more competitions across the country. That's how you take it to newer regions.
This is a record medal haul at the CWG, but we have performed well on the stage, something that we have not replicated in the Olympics or the Asian Games. Why?
Vikas Krishan, who has won gold medal in Middleweight (75 kg category)
Vikas Krishan: In CWG, you don't get many countries that have strong boxing teams. There are only a few good teams like England, South Africa and Canada. In the Asian Games, however, we get tough competition from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, Philippines, Thailand, and Korea. They produce quality boxers and at times, it gets tough to beat them. The European belt in the Olympics is very strong, which reduces our chances to win an Olympic medal. The competition gets really tough there. It's not that we can’t defeat them. But we need to do a lot better. Success in CWG shouldn't lead people to think that we are assured of multiple Olympic medals. That will require a lot of work. That said, with the kind of training we are getting today, I am sure we will give tough competition to these countries and win medals in the future.
We've noticed that unlike cricket, boxing stays in public memory for only a few weeks after a win. Then, boxers have to wait for the next big tournament to be in the public eye. How do we change that?
Satish Kumar, who has won silver medal in Super Heavyweight (91+ kg category)
Satish Kumar: What we need is constant TV exposure for boxing. Log ek games mein dekhte hain, aur agle aane tak bhool jaate hain, kyunki boxing regularly TV pe nahi aati. We should have a league system for boxing as well. That way, the public will see boxing more and remember boxers more. The more people get to see the game, the more interest it creates among the audience.