"It’s a challenge every day,” says Narmada. “At National tournaments, we see how our competitors from other States are better-equipped and fitter. We try and keep up with them, but it’s difficult since most of us cannot afford the sport. A pair of gloves costs Rs. 2,000, and we take turns to practise using the one pair that we own,” she adds. Bhuvaneshwari, for instance, the toughest amongst them, was rejected at a National-level tournament because she was underweight. But she refuses to give up. “I did have a Government job in mind when I started boxing,” says Bhuvaneshwari. But now, she doesn’t mind even if nothing profitable comes from it. Boxing gives her a sense of satisfaction; most importantly, it gives her hope. Nila says that she got interested in boxing when she saw Narmada practising at Pulianthope. “I instantly fell in love with it,” she says. The game has won her respect amidst her people. “It gave me an identity. To friends and family, I’m not just someone; I’m the girl who’s a boxer.”
Akila Kannadasan, 'Rolling with the punches', The Hindu
