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4 Lessons From The World Championship Boxers Each game and sports persons serve as a great study for entrepreneurs, CEOs, managers, employees, interns and anybody trying to make it in the tumultuous corporate world. Here are four lessons that triumphant pugilists such as Mary Kom have taught us.

By Kavya Pillai

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Bogdan Yukhymchuk

Growing up the stories of the triumphant Indian pugilist Mary Kom gave a sense of pride and projected hope for all those reading to dream big and work towards those dreams. The pride this boxer has brought our country India as an Olympic medalist, six-time world champion, recipient of the Arjuna award, the Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, a member of parliament and a mother of four is incomparable. Mary Kom is a name synonymous with boxing.

Boxing teaches people to cope with challenges and strategies on their path to success. Each game and sports persons serve as a great study for entrepreneurs, CEOs, managers, employees, interns and anybody trying to make it in the tumultuous corporate world. Here are four lessons that triumphant pugilists such as Mary Kom have taught us after their laurels won at the World Championship.

1. Nitu Ghanghas- Focus On What Is Next

The sixth Indian boxer to be crowned the World Champion is none other than Nitu Ghanghas. The triumphant pugilist in a recent interview opened up about the days leading up to this prestigious victory. The hard taskmaster, Coach Jagdish recalled when Nitu came to train he was impressed by her natural ability to box as a southpaw and her accuracy in straight punches even while training with boys. What he feels helps her the most is her introverted behaviour. She would win a bout and ask him, "Ab kya practice karenge, sir." When Ghanghas was asked how she decided to become a boxer she replied, "Boxing ne mere ko chuna" (boxing chose me). Her father wanted her to be a boxer since that was the only sport played famously in Bhiwani, the place where she was raised. They knew through rumours that Coach Jagdish was tough and experienced it first-hand when she had no relaxation in her first training session. Her father would wait outside class for her every time she trained and that motivated her to push through the intense training.

2. Nikhat Zareen- Confidence and Mental Strength

The-26-year-old Arjuna Awardee, Nikhat Zareen believes the recipe for her success and any successful sportsperson is, " Dedication, hard work and sacrifices." Growing up her role model in her family was her father Mohammad Jameel Ahmed. He was a cricketer, athlete and footballer. After she secured the National medal at the Junior National Boxing Championship in 2010 Nikhat made her decision to dedicate her life to sports. She is the second woman after Mary Kom to have won the world women's boxing championship for two consecutive years. According to one of her coaches, she oozed confidence and would practice for hours together. She was strong mentally and that helped her grow in stature. Zareen in the past has also spoken about boxing empowering her and how she became fearless after knowing how to protect herself.

3. Lovlina Borgohain- Do Not Listen To The Naysayers

Olympic Bronze medalist (69kg) and two-time World Champion Bronze pugilist, Lovlina Borgohain serve the best lesson in breaking shackles and rising above the naysayers. Borgohain won her first gold medal at the World Championship and what better shade of metal to turn her bronze into after her trajectory was coined as the 'bronze jinx'. In an interview after her victory, Borgohain shared how happy she was to change the color of her medal and how she took the negative commentary as "opportunities and worked hard". When the world was least expecting it she gave a blow and proved that there is never a confined space good enough for success.

4. Saweety Boora- Never give up

The first Indian boxer to win in the women's 81 kg category, Saweety Boora is an inspiration for everyone to keep pushing themselves. Through her journey, Boora has proved how hard work and dedication can take you places but it is the mindset of never giving up that truly makes you overcome challenges. The boxer shared in an interview with India Today after her victory that she had avoided social media and the news. This helped her focus on working harder. She did so by training from 5 am to midnight rigorously. The security guard at her training centre would request her to stop training post twelve so that he could lock up and return home. In the end, her determination got her the big win and greater pride for our nation.

Kavya Pillai

Former Correspondent

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