CHENNAI: Handing me the international gold medal in the 48 kg boxing category, she turns her attention to the month-old baby — her niece, in her arms. No one would guess that the demure girl in front of me has just returned from the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) 2019 in Kathmandu, after having landed hard-hitting punches to clinch boxing gold in her maiden international competition. Although it might come as a surprise to the rest of us, for 20-year-old Kalaivani Srinivasan from Washermenpet, gold was the only option.
Trials and tribute
“Ever since I came to know of my participation in the SAG 2019 a month-and-a-half ago, my only aim has been to win that gold medal. It is a dedication to my father who has been my inspiration for boxing ever since I was a child,” says Kalaivani. Encouraged to take up the gloves at an early age, Kalaivani’s boxing journey has been in part, a tribute to the unfulfilled dreams of her father M Srinivasan, a former pugilist himself. “Once I got off the podium, the first call I made was to him. It was a victory for both of us,” she shares.
Winning with discipline
Ranking second nationally in the 48 kg category, Kalaivani took home the silver in the Women’s National Championships in January, earlier this year, losing out to Punjab’s Manju Rani. All too familiar with the sacrifices that come with a sportsman’s life, her journey to be the best has taken her away from her big family in Chennai to JSW’s Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Hyderabad. This year, it has been one step further with Kalaivani ramping up her training and dietary discipline for the SAG at a national camp in New Delhi under the supervision of Italian boxing coach, Raffaele Bergamasco. With a brief winless streak in 2016 -17, Kalaivani also attributes her reinvigorated attacks and techniques to her coach back at IIS, Ronald Simms.
Armed with a winning mindset and finding worthy competitors in Pakistan’s Rabia Batool, Bhutan’s Lhamo Tandin and Nepal’s Maharjan Lalita, Kalaivani’s path to the gold at the SAG was not an easy one. Facing off against crowd-favourite Lalita in the final bout in front of a home crowd, Kalaivani proved her resilience as she beat out her competitor in a 3-2 victory. Setting her sights higher, she aims to compete in the 51kg category at the Olympics in Paris 2024, which by default would mean beating out its current national champion, Mary Kom.
But before that, it’s a few days off for Kalaivani as she makes the rounds in Chennai, heading back to her alma mater, St Anne’s Girls Higher Secondary School in Royapuram for a felicitation ceremony. “They’ve been fondly referring to me as ‘Thanga Magal’ for as long as I can remember, and it’s great that I can go back and meet my first supporters,” says Kalaivani.
Leading the way
Currently pursuing her BSc in Physical Education at the GTN Arts College in Dindigul, she aspires to not just be the best but make the sport better for future boxers, especially girls. “Once I wrap up my professional career, I want to coach the next wave of female boxers. I have received great support in my boxing journey and want to pay it back,” she says.
Just as we wrap up our chat, Kalaivani’s 5-year-old nephew wanders in and takes the gold medal from my hand. “I’m going to be a boxer one day too,” he says as he looks at it. “Just like Kalai,” he adds for good measure. And as he enthusiastically demonstrates his punches, it seems that Kalaivani’s dream of inspiring future athletes has already begun and it has begun closest to home.