Akhil Kumar is preparing for a second innings in boxing after being commissioned as the Deputy Superintendent of Police at Hisar three days ago. Akhil has just completed a year’s Basic Training course at the Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban, Karnal district after qualifying under the sports quota.
The increase in age limit from 34 to 40 will allow him a chance to compete in the 2016 Olympics and even possibly the 2020 Olympics. But right now, his focus is on fitness as he is recovering from a longstanding wrist injury. The boxer, who is a 2006 CWG gold-medallist and a quarterfinalist in the Beijing Olympics of 2008, has yet to decide on his weight category now.
So, did he always plan to return to boxing after his police course? Over to the man himself. “People know me as Akhil Kumar the boxer, not as a DSP. It is only due to boxing that I became a DSP in the first place. So, boxing will always come first — it gave me my identity — and you should never let go of something that gives you your identity”.
It was the sports quota which allowed the Haryana boxer to get into the Police Force and he feels this quota can be a big incentive for youngsters to get into boxing (and other sports). “ The sports quota will motivate youngsters to take up sports as they know they can have a career because of sports.”