CHENNAI: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam put up a commanding performance at the SEC Hall 5 in Glasgow late on Tuesday to corner glory. Up against Mengo Mwale of Zambia in the men's 55kg quarterfinals, the boxer from Imphal lived up to his promise to become the first Indian male pugilist to confirm a medal in the ongoing CWG.
Thousands of miles away, former world champion and Asian Games medallist L Sarita Devi was watching her ward closely, hoping for good tidings. Her affinity towards Jadumani goes way back when the young pugilist was an unknown face. He was one of the smallest among the hundreds of boxers who were playing in a local competition in Imphal.
Sarita could not remember the exact date but told this daily that he was quite small in stature, but with a big heart. He was fighting with a lot of passion and oomph. "Later, he (Jadumani) told me that I had given him Rs 500 for his extraordinary boxing," she said. In fact, the Manipuri pugilist, who tried his hand in football like all children from his state, was later part of Sarita's academy.
"He trained with us for more than a year before he was selected to train in Army Institute of Pune," Sarita said. "He is technically very sound and has always shown a lot of enthusiasm as a young boxer and even now when we speak. He seeks advice and I try to give as much input as I can. As a young boxer, he needs guidance."
Sarita said that though he started his career in her academy in Imphal, it's the coaches at the national camp and Army who have helped him evolve. She also revealed that her former ward had discussions with her before shifting to 55kg from 50kg. "He called me and asked me what to do," she said. The Army does not allow boxers to fight in two weight categories. But eventually, the Boxing Federation of India made some concessions for the World Cup medallists. "We have to motivate and give him sound advice. We strategized and started training at 55kg."
Though he shifted to 55kg for the Commonwealth and Asian Games, he did well to overcome accomplished boxers like Amit Panghal in the nationals, earning the best boxer title.
"Whenever a boxer loses confidence or gets confused someone needs to give direction and I do the same with Jadumani," she said. "He always says that he wants to win a medal for India at the Olympics and seeing his ambition, I keep egging him on."