CHENNAI: THE tales of many Indian sportspersons tend to begin with their parents and grandparents. Their dreams are realised by their children at the big stage. Suresh Babu M, a boxer-turned tailor, has a similar story with his son Vishvanath, but it is layered with other socio-economic aspects.
Vishvanath’s father recounted the experiences in grooming his son into what he is today. Long nights, little to no financial flexibility, and continued rejections were the norm in his journey but the duo ensured that they would persist against the odds. It began in the mid 1990s when young Suresh took the ring by storm in the city, as he won five sub-junior boxing titles and a silver in the national championships. His performances caught the eyes of those at the Madras Engineering Group's boxing team. However, due to lack of facilities and financial incentive then, Suresh had to quit the sport.
“I was selected by MEG in Bengaluru. I really wanted to go but I could not because I had to make ends meet as a tailor. I did not earn salaries from boxing,” he said. Like his father, Suresh had also become a tailor; he has been running a shop in Kolathur, a famous Chennai suburb as it's the chief minister's constituency. “I thought I could realise my dream through my elder son Vishvanath,” he said.
That dream began to come to life when a young Vishvanath saw his father punching the focus pads as a hobby. “The passion for the sport grew in him. With the change I kept giving — Rs 2 to 5, the boy went on to save upto Rs 500 once and got a pad for himself,” recounted the father.
But it was not easy for him to groom his son into a boxer and to put food on the table for a family of four. “I used to earn around Rs 100 to Rs 200 a day. With that, I tried to pay the house rent and looked after the family,” he said.
At 12, Vishvanath became state champion, and set his eyes on reaching the next level. His eyes were set on joining the boxing team of the MEG in Bengaluru. That did not come easily. “He was rejected four times to join due to his height and nutrition, but I kept telling him to keep believing in himself,” recounted the father.
The grind never stopped for Vishvanath. “I trained him at our home, when I am done with work at the shop. We used to have long nights. He refused to go to sleep until he felt he had a good session late into the night because he had tournaments the next day. My wife was against us training late but I insisted that the boy would one day be a champion,” he said.
And today was no better day to show what a father's belief could do to his son. On a cold Friday afternoon at Ulanbaatar in Mongolia, the 21-year-old, on his first senior international tournament, breezed past Japan’s Daichi Iwai 5-0 in the 50kg men’s final of the Asian Boxing Championships. “When the national anthem played during the medal ceremony, my wife kept tearing up and kept saying how famous her son has become,” he said. He rounded off a memorable Asian campaign, where he also beat world No. 1 in that category and reigning champion Sanzhar Tashkenbay in the quarters.
It is to be noted that his weight category is not part of the LA 2028 Olympics program, nor the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Suresh said that the plan is to now move to the 55kg category. “I expect him to start work on that category from next year,” added Suresh.
While the family rejoiced on another unforgettable day, it was just another day for Suresh. As the sun set down in the evening, he travelled from his home in Perambur, reached his shop and raised the shutters to resume work. “I have shown him the way, and he is taking that path. While he revels in the success, it does not mean that I stop everything and rest at home,” he said.
"For me it was tailoring that helped put food on the table. But for Vishvanath, it is boxing that has helped put food for all of us. His story should be an example of how sport can be a way to better life," he said.
He is now based at the Army Sports Institute in Pune. "The coaches at the army have helped him by leaps and bounds. All credits to them," he said.