Sidharth Viswanathan
For Minakshi Hooda, there is no way to become a world champion, nothing a fairy tale. Dating from a modest background in Rurki, Rohtak, a 24 -year -old woman put an Indian box on the map when she went to Liverpool and a scripted history.
Minakshi won a gold medal in the category of 48 kg at the 2025 boxing championship, defeating the Olympic bronze medalist Kazakhstan Nazym Kyzabay 4-1. Achieved success with Jaismin Lamboria as India returned home with their best pull medal The events of the World Championship that took place outside the country.
Today 24 years old today with sport, Indian sister channel today to talk about her journey, the feeling she had when she won the title and more.
Excerpts from the interaction of minakshi hooda
India today: How did the moment feel for you in Liverpool when your hand was raised and you won the gold medal?
Minakshi: I felt so much happiness. One or two minutes I didn’t even understand what had happened. Everyone was so happy – teammates, coaches, players, BFI, our president Ajay Singh, everyone was so happy. I felt so much happiness. After victory I talked to my father. First I talked to my basic coach. It is very strict. Then I called my mom. Actually my dad doesn’t have a big phone, so I couldn’t call him.
India today: What initial struggles have you been facing from the beginning to reach Rurki to Liverpool? How did you maintain your mental health and focus during these difficulties?
Minakshi: Lord, people will always speak. They also spoke earlier. But at that time it didn’t matter much. People in the village are not open. So at the beginning there was not much support. But as more seniors from our village, such as Shiksha Narwal, Jyoti Gulia, Monica, began to win medals, people started to invest more. Now many girls come – about sixty to seventy girls practice in our center. Now the whole village supports us. After decades in Haryana, our girls are not in terms of boxing, no less than boys. I won at the World Championship in Liverpool, Jasmine Won, and Pooja also won.
India today: What was your success on the mentality of your village? Or girls still have to work hard to take this way?
Minakshi: Previously, when the box started in our village, everyone was talking, but now that fifty girls have passed, the whole village supports them. Everyone wants their children to make a box. They see that four or five girls from our center also get a job. So everyone wants it to continue to make our village and the country proud.
India today: When you were selected for the Indian contingent to go to Liverpool, what ideas did your mind go through? What pressures did you face and how did you manage the nervous energy?
Minakshi: It was such a big competition and I went for the first time. I thought I had to do something good there. We had a 15 -day training camp, so I had to train well with my coach. I believed in myself and coaches, whether national coaches or my basic coach, everyone motivated me. They said that you trained so much, the opportunity came, now proves. Be fearless. My thought was just bringing gold.
India today: Meenakshi, who match at the Boxing World Championship, made you feel, “Yes, I clearly see my dream gold medals”?
Minakshi: Sir, it was the last match. That was the hardest match. In fact, there was a quarterfinal that was a medal, also against an English girl. She was at home, but I felt I could beat her. The crowd was bigger there. I thought from the beginning, I would do it unilateral and my secondary decision will come. So I did it and won the match 5-0. Then came the last match.
India today: Meenakshi, what message do you want to give all India and all who watch?
Minkashi: Never give up. We lose many times, so we feel like ending. No, we have to train even more. One day it happens.
– ends
Published on:
September 20, 2025
