CHENNAI: Minakshi Hooda is full of purpose at the moment. The Indian boxer, who made giant strides last year, is not resting on her laurels. "It's time to consolidate," she says, embracing fresh challenges in store in the new year. It's an opportunity for her to evolve further as there are some significant events including the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in the calendar this year. "I have to work twice as hard," the 48kg boxer from Rurki village, Haryana, declares with conviction.
Her first challenge for the new season begins on Sunday as the national championships (both men and women), which is being conducted at the Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, will get underway. The event will go on until January 10. Minakshi, who announced herself to the world last year by capturing the gold medal during the World Championships, will be plotting to defend her 48kg crown during the premier domestic competition. The No 1 seed will start her campaign against V Lakshaya S Viyayan of Tamil Nadu.
"There are a lot of major competitions this year. Last year I got the medal but I have to be even more focussed in order to maintain my performance as everyone's eyes will be on me. They'll consider me as a target from now on, so I have to be on my toes," the boxer, who'll be representing All India Police, notes.
A smooth outing during the said nationals could hand her the much-needed momentum. Given that she has ambitions to shift to a higher weight category (51kg), she is mindful that she has to be in a position of strength before taking up that challenge. For Minakshi to take the first step towards her goal, she will have to reach at least the final in the nationals. The gold and silver medallist from non-Olympic categories (which includes 48kg) will join the national camp. For Olympic weight categories, all the medallists will get ticket to join the said camp.
"And then we have the Asian Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games too. I have to prepare for that too. For now, I'm focussed on my immediate target, the national championships. After nationals, let's see how it goes. We'll have a camp and then have an evaluation period. I'll have to give 51kg a try as 48kg is not part of both CWG & Asiad," she says.
"It will be tough. The competition will be greater if I compete in 51kg. We'll see how it goes. Right now, my focus is 48kg ahead of the nationals. Then we'll have to wait and see how it goes. But I have to move to 51kg later and make training plans accordingly."
The year 2025 was a significant one for the 24-year-old. It was a year that she captured the national crown before going on to capture the aforementioned world crown. That was followed by another gold in the World Boxing Cup in front of home fans in Greater Noida.
"This (2025) was the best-ever year for me in my boxing career so far. I became a world champ. First of all, I became a national champ and I beat a world champ then, it was quite challenging then. Even the trials before the World Championships were quite tough. In the World Championships, I was up against a rival from China in the opening bout and generally, boxers from China tend to be strong. In the final, I was up against a rival from Kazakhstan, who was a three-time world champ and an Olympic medallist. It was a tough bout (final) as I had fought against her just a few months before that. I was quite nervous. However, it was a good outcome," Minakshi, who enjoys watching cartoons and shopping during her free time, recalls.
Needless to say, that feat has been life-changing for her and her family with humble roots. Daughter of an autorickshaw driver, there was a time she could not even afford her basic needs. Her father used to take care of the family on a shoestring budget. Moreover, her uncle was once upon a time against the idea of women taking up combat sports. The odds were clearly against Minakshi, when she got the idea of taking up the sport. It was Vijay Hooda, her coach in Rohtak district, who supported her and set in motion her dreams of becoming a champion boxer. Her gradual success inside the ring has lifted the family.
"After becoming a world champion, myself, my family and my fellow villagers, my coach have got plenty of recognition. Everyone in India is aware now...it was quite a monumental moment for me but I have to work even harder now. So I'll be training even harder now," she says.
"Now, more girls from my village have started taking up the sport. That makes me happy. Parents have started sending their children saying, 'our daughter will also box'."