Pugilists from home will be trying to keep Jharkhand's flag flying at the 35th National Games to be held in Kerala from January 31 to February 10.

The 7-member (men and women) squad announced by Jharkhand Boxing Association (JBA) comprises purely Jharkhandi pugilists, a welcome departure from the 2011 edition of the Games played in Jharkhand when the state team used the services of as many as five boxers from Haryana.

The mens's squad for the Kerala Games comprise Sandeep Toppo (56-60kg), Diwakar Prasad (60-64kg), M Ravi Kumar (81-91kg) and Gurcharan Singh (+91kg), while the women's team has Jyoti Mundari (51kg), Sarika Kumari (57kg) and Aruna Mishra (75kg).

Ajit Kumar Singh and B.K. Jena have been named mentors of the men's team, while Ernest Lakra will guide the women. Paritosh Kumar will accompany the team as manager and D. Jagannath Rao and M. Ishwar Rao will be in Kerala as officials.

While Sandeep, Diwakar and Ravi Kumar are from Jamshedpur, Gurcharan is from Ramgarh. Jyoti is from Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum, while Aruna and Sarika are from Jamshedpur.

The state squad will leave for Kerala on February 1. Medicals and weighing formalities are on February 4, while the bouts will start on February 6.

'It's a balanced squad which is expected to perform well. The boxers are in fine fettle,' said Charles Borromeo, secretary of JBA.

A state body functionary said it was more satisfying when home-grown players won medals for the state. 'We had some imports at the last Games, but this time, we thought to field purely home boxers,' a functionary said.

The highly-experienced Diwakar and Aruna still have the firepower to give opponents a run for their money. Thirty-year-old Diwakar, who claimed bronze in the Junior World Boxing Championship in Cuba in 2002, is a product of Tata Boxing Centre, while 35-year-old Aruna is a former Asian champion donning gloves again after a two-year hiatus.

'I am in fine form and will go for a medal at the Games. I am confident about myself,' Diwakar, who works as a senior ticket collector with the South Eastern Railways, said.

The temperamental boxer, a regular in the national squad in the past, donned the Indian jersey at the 2nd Asian pre-qualifying meet for Olympics in Bangkok in 2008. Subsequently, he boycotted the national camp due to differences with coaches.

Aruna, an inspector with Jharkhand police, said she would try to give her best in Kerala. 'I am working hard for the Games. I have no fitness problems. I have also gained weight to be eligible for the 75kg category,' she said.