They say home is where the heart is. But for 22-year-old Shamjetsabam Sarjubala Devi and 25-year-old Meena Kumari, both international boxers hailing from Manipur, home is where they have found support to pursue their dreams.
Turns out, it was Kerala that offered them the opportunity that they craved for. Both ladies have made India’s southern most state their home for over five years now and have prospered ever since into two of the finest pugilists in the country.
Sarjubala, world number three in the 48 kg category, won a silver in the 2014 Women’s World Boxing Championship at Jeju, South Korea, after having emerged a junior world champion in 2011 at Antalya, Turkey. Her latest exploit arrived in April this year, punching her way to gold at the prestigious President’s Cup in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Meena won bronze in the 2014 Asian Championship before contributing a gold to Kerala’s impressive run in the 35th National Games earlier this year.
Both boxers are being trained by Dronacharya award recipient D Chandralal at the Sports Authority of India’s Thiruvananthapuram centre in Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), Kariavattom.
“It doesn’t feel good to be away from home. But what am I going to achieve by staying within the comforts of home?” says Sarjubala, who hails from Imphal East.
“No pain, no gain. Isn’t that what they say?” she asks.
On the other hand, Meena, hailing from Sugnu Makha Leikai, made a stop at Nagaland on her way to Kerala.
“It wasn’t that I was not performing, but no support came from Manipur or Nagaland,” says Meena, who was already a national bronze medallist when she set out southward.
Employed by the Indian Railways and sponsored by the NGO Olympic Gold Quest, Sarjubala is in love with Kerala.
“People here are big-hearted. If I get the chance, I will be very happy to represent the state,” she says.
Their coach though says the duo are quite different from the boxers from Kerala.
“Unlike Kerala boxers, their breed can bear any pain and never complain of injuries,” says Chandralal.
“They are focused and work hard whatever workload we put on them,” he notes.
Sarjubala now harbours the dream of representing India at the grandest stage. “My dream is to represent my country in the Olympics,” she says. But she is also aware that there is no consolation prize for being the second best on this front. As a child, she took interest in boxing watching Mary Kom on TV, and it is this icon that she has to overcome to win an Olympic ticket.
“As there is no 48 kg category in Olympics, she will have to compete against Mary in the 51 kg category to qualify,” says Chandralal.
The same applies for Meena as she is expected to compete with Laishram Sarita Devi in the 60 kg category for Rio 2016. Meena was the sparring partner to Sarita during the early days of the latter’s career but has since tried hard to create a legacy of her own.
“Sarita is about to return to training after the one-year ban for refusing the 2014 Asian Games medal. And she had asked Meena to join her. But, I feel that it is time for Meena to prove that she can stand on her own,” the coach stresses.