Manisha Moun

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Career

2013-19

Hindol Basu, May 7, 2019: The Times of India

One look and a few minutes of conversation with boxer Manisha Moun gives you the impression of a vivacious, young teenager who has hardly faced the hardships of life. But as you delve deeper the mask gradually comes off and the face starts telling a story. A story of grit, determination and resolve to achieve for the country – come what may.

Manisha, who recently won bronze in 54kg category at the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok, has been a standout performer for Indian boxing in the last one year. She has to her credit an authoritative victory against 2017 world champion Dina Zhalaman of Kazakhstan during the 2018 World Championships in Delhi.

The road Manisha traversed right from her early teenage years has made her a tough nut to break inside the ring. The 21-year-old – daughter of a tractor mechanic – has been the sole breadwinner for her family since she was just a 14 years old.

“My father used to be a tractor mechanic. In 2012, he suffered a massive heart attack, which was in fact his second attack – the earlier one being a mild one. I was very young then. After the second attack, he can’t do heavy duty work. He mostly stays at home. Since then, I have been my family’s breadwinner,” Manisha, who also has an elder sister and a brother, told TOI.

With the family’s responsibility on her shoulders, Manisha – during her initial days of boxing – used to go to practice by having just roti-chai (flatbread and tea). “Subah rotichaaye khaati thi phir raat ko khaati thi (I used to eat flatbread and tea in the morning, skipped lunch and directly had dinner),” she reminisces.

Manisha comes from a small village named Mathour in Haryana’s Kaithal district – about 170 km from Delhi. So, how did boxing happen?

“I knew nothing of boxing. I just played marbles on the streets. My brother used to go out to play volleyball. So I used to sneak out with him without telling anyone in the family. A boxing coach saw me playing and asked me to try boxing.

“The coach told me to come to RKSD College in Kaithal to practice and I walked10 km daily to and fro for the practice sessions,” said Manisha.

In 2013, she won her first medal – a gold – and was also awarded the ‘best boxer’ in a state-level competition. “I haven’t looked back after that. Next year, I won silver at the School National Boxing Games in Guwahati. Two years later, I won gold at the All-India University Boxing Championship and defended the title successfully next year,” the 21-year-old said.