Champion pugilist Aruna Mishra's eyes searched for her daughters as soon as Rajdhani Express chugged into Tatanagar station on Thursday morning.
She spotted Minakshi (8) and Sonakshi (3) amid supporters and pugilists from Birsa Boxing Centre, which she runs, at platform No. 4.
But, unlike most mothers, she came bearing an unusual gift. Aruna bagged gold in the 75kg category at World Police and Fire Games in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.
Tightly hugging her daughters, she said: " Bacchon se mil kar bahut khushi ho rahi hai (I am very happy to meet my children)."
Jharkhand's champion pugilist is a boxing coach, inspector (special branch), wife and mother. But, in those few seconds, she was just a mother who missed her children for a month when she was away from Jamshedpur in New Delhi for the preparatory camp and then in Virginia.
As she hugged her daughters, her fans, waiting patiently for Rajdhani Express that arrived 45 minutes late from New Delhi at 11.20am, shouted slogans like: " Swaranpari Aruna zindabad, Jharkhand ki shaan Aruna zindabad."
Drumbeats and garlands followed.
District police brass, including DSP (city) Animesh Nathani, members of city-based Mithila Sanskritik Parishad and boxing students congratulated Aruna. Husband Shishir Jha, mother Urmila Devi, siblings Taruna and Ritesh and coach Ernest Lakra stood beaming proudly.
Distributing laddoos among policemen, Aruna's mother Urmila Devi said: "Meri beti ne Jharkhand aur desh ka naam ucha kiya hain. Bahut khush hoon uski uplabdhi dekh kar (My daughter has won laurels for Jharkhand and India. Very happy for her success)."
Sister Taruna, also a boxer, was equally excited.
"Watching Aruna with the gold medal makes me very proud. I knew she would win the final bout in the US. She is a fighter to the core," Taruna said.
Aruna's mentor Lakra, who had arrived at the station quite early, added: "Winning a gold at this age (Aruna is 35 years old) is no joke. Boxing is a power sport and the blows hurt. She keeps winning due to sheer will power."
Shishir, a chartered accountant and a man of few words, said he was proud of his wife. "I always knew she wouldn't disappoint me and our kids. She'd promised our daughters a gold medal from the US."
Recalling the championship, Aruna said the semi-final against her US opponent was "really tough". "In comparison, the final bout was comfortable. I floored my Kazaksthan rival Christina P. in the third round."
An amateur boxer, Aruna now wants to become professional.
"Boxing Association of India is encouraging boxers to become professionals. I plan to be one," she briefly said. India's first boxer to win an Olympic medal, Vijender Singh is a professional boxer who gets money to represent clubs and franchisees.
Aruna also met chief minister Raghubar Das at his residence in Agrico. Congratulating her, Das promised to do something for her cradle in Birsanagar.
"The chief minister said he was aware of Birsa Boxing Centre. He promised that something fruitful would be done to turn it into an academy," Aruna said.
Later in the afternoon, Aruna was felicitated by JAP-6 in Golmuri.
