For boxer Akash Kumar, 2021 has been a bitter-sweet year. A gold in the national boxing championships in September, followed by a bronze at the World Boxing Championships in November — his first international tournament — took his career graph to a high.
Contrast that with the shock he experienced when he rushed home with the national gold to find his mother, who was suffering from a lung infection, had passed away. His family had kept the news from him because that’s the way his mother would have wanted it.
For someone who just turned 21 on Wednesday, Akash has a remarkably mature head on his shoulders and can take both ups and downs with equal ease.
Hence the stream of felicitations since his return from Belgrade has pleased the 54kg boxer no doubt, but it has not swept him off his feet.
“A bronze at the World Boxing sure feels good. More so since this was my first international tournament,” Akash told The Telegraph from Bhiwani (Haryana).
“In normal circumstances a boxer would do several training tours, many competitions before going to the worlds, but due to the pandemic everything went awry and I was plunged straightaway into a meet of this stature.
“However,” continued the confident youngster, “there was no dearth of confidence on my part.
“I train at the Pune Army Sports Institute and, unlike in other sports, our practice did not halt for a day during the lockdown. In fact, I think it went on with greater vigour than normal.
“Then, prior to the nationals in September, I did tagdi practice and emerged champion in Bellary. So I was all ready to take on the world and more.”
Vijender Singh was the first pugilist from India to return with a medal (a bronze) from the marquee event in 2009. Five more — Vikas Krishan (2010), Shiva Thapa (2015), Gaurav Bidhuri (2017), Amit Panghal and Manish Kaushik (both 2019) — followed suit. Akash became the seventh Indian — and the only one from this edition — to achieve this feat.
He also claimed a prize money of $25,000.
“I felt quite happy when I upstaged Rio Olympic silver medallist Yoel Finol Rivas of Venezuela 5-0 in the quarters to assure myself of the bronze. It was a great learning experience too,” said the boxer.
With both arms pointing towards the sky, he had roared with delight, becoming quite emotional that day.
Akash’s father was a national-level wrestler but he initiated his sons into boxing in 2008 and passed away soon after. His uncle Bhawar Singh and coach Narender Rana have been his support all through.
But from where does he get so much mental strength?
Pat came the reply: “That’s a part of my training and that is what I’ve been taught from the time I took to the game.”
And does he have an idol? “Not one single idol. No. I have watched many a boxer and drawn inspiration from many. Kisi ka style, kisi ka punches marne ki tarika…I have picked up tips from many,” he said.
On his birthday, Akash has made a promise to himself. To clinch the gold at the next big international meet, which is the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July 2022. And then to do a repeat at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
Paris 2024 is, of course, his final destination but the focused lad intends to take it one meet at a time and give each tournament his all.