Cadets practice at Tata Steel Boxing Training Centre at JRD Tata Sports Complex. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, July 15: Quality management is no longer restricted to manufactured products alone. The state boxing association is serious about its pugilists and is working towards ensuring quality control.

Soon the Jharkhand Boxing Association (JBA) will become the first sports body in the state to introduce total quality management (TQM) in its agenda. The objective is to give an edge to pugilists, increase competitiveness and improve performances.

Two specialists from the Tata Steel TQM department recently conducted a study on the viability of pushing TQM into the boxing association’s agenda. They even prepared a comprehensive report, which will be submitted to JBA chief Anand Sen soon.

“The specialists spoke to JBA functionaries, coaches and some pugilists to understand their perspective. They also spoke with sports administrators before giving shape to their report,” an official said, adding that TQM would shortly become part of Jharkhand’s boxing stable.

Sen, the chief architect of this proposal and also the vice-president of TQM and Flat Products, Tata Steel, was nominated to the JBA about three months ago. “The JBA will now have a dab of corporate touch. Its functioning will definitely undergo a change, which will reflect in the pugilists’ performance,” an official said.

Confirming the development, Dinesh Upadhya, the secretary of the JBA, told The Telegraph that their responsibilities would also increase once the TQM comes into practice. “The concept will give an edge to our administration and will help coaches and pugilists stay consistent with their performances. Networking will also undergo a sea change, as TQM will cover everything from ethics, finance, administration and medical apparatus,” he explained.

TQM would also mean improvements in infrastructure across the district. It would propel pugilists to think in a positive manner and work hard to put up an improved show.

Sports administrators believed TQM was a novel addition to boxing. It will help the boxing body carry out its responsibilities with more efficiency.

Except for Jamshedpur, an adequate boxing infrastructure is absent in other districts of the state. But there is no dearth of boxing talent. Diwakar Prasad, Antheras L. Lakra, Namit Bahadur and Aruna Mishra have excelled in international competitions and with the TQM formula in practice, more pugilists are sure to join their ranks.