Nitya Pandey (special arrangement) Nitya Pandey’s parents are both differently abled.Her father Birendra Kumar, a retired government school teacher, suffered a head injury in his youth after a fall and underwent surgery that damaged his right hand and leg. Her mother, meanwhile, has had a physical disability in one leg since birth. As a result, they haven’t been able to fulfill all their dreams, but their daughter is certainly trying to make up for it as best she can.Earlier this week, the 13-year-old girl from Pipra, Aurangabad, Bihar was selected for the Sub-Junior Asian Boxing Championship to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1-16 after topping the trials held in Patiala.After starting training at the Khelo India Small Center in Aurangabad under coach Akhil Raj to stay fit, she will now compete in the 52-55 kg category in the U-15 group and can’t wait to don the India jersey for the first time.“I feel immense joy knowing that from now on I will have ‘India’ written on my back next to my name,” said Pandey, who is currently training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) camp in Pune ahead of the continental tournament.And none of this would have been possible if it weren’t for her coach, Raj, who started training her two years ago.“To this day, he remains the most important person behind my success. He trained me, taught me and prepared me to compete and win at the state and national levels,” Pandey said.“Even now as I prepare for the Asian stage, he is the one who continues to motivate me and remind me that I am no less than anyone else and that I can achieve it.”Speaking of his disciple, Raj himself couldn’t help but be proud. After all, it was Raj who made her go for the exams at the SAI center in Hisar, where she further honed her skills over the past year.“She is still in the early stages but dedication to the sport is essential. Her hunger to achieve is clearly visible. Regular training helps and you can’t expect much more than this at such a young age. Consistency is key,” said Raj, who is currently training in Patiala.“In terms of her style of play, her height gives her an advantage with longer range. She plays a clean game and uses range effectively.”Apart from her coach, she also credits her mother Shweta Kumari, a housewife, who has always supported her boxing career.“My mom tells me that whatever I’m really interested in, I should stick with it. She doesn’t believe in trying to do a little bit of everything. She feels that no one can really be the best at everything. She says, ‘Since you’re boxing now, focus on that and do it exceptionally well,'” added Pandey.Meanwhile, she is a big fan of Olympic bronze medalist and six-time world champion MC Mary Kom and tries to incorporate her style into her game.“I really like her technique. For example, the way she places her right hooks is very impressive. I also admire how she keeps her distance and fights from the outside,” the youngster added.Whether he can emulate his idol, even to a degree, remains to be seen. For now, her current feat deserves celebration. But what stands out is her focus and ambition as she said, “I want to become the best female boxer in Bihar and eventually the best in India.”
