Sonia Lather
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
Achievements
2011-2018
Hindol Basu & Vjender Kumar, August 12, 2018: The Times of India
From: Hindol Basu & Vjender Kumar, August 12, 2018: The Times of India
Julana is a municipal committee town in Haryana’s Jind district. It is situated in the centre of the state and is often referred to as the ‘heart of Haryana’.
There is a statistic, though, which Julana isn’t proud of. As per Census 2011, the average sex ratio of Julana is 865. The child sex ratio is even more abysmal — 818. It is in this town that one of India’s most promising boxers and a medal contender at the upcoming Asian Games, Sonia Lather, took to boxing. Her motive was to fight the blatant gender bias in her hometown and to shame her town folks who stigmatised women who took up contact sports.
It was not just gender bias, though, that Sonia fought on her way to become an international boxer. Personal tragedies also took a toll . Sonia’s elder brother was arrested in a murder case three years back; he is still in jail. Her younger brother was also arrested in a murder case two years ago. Her father was involved in an accident in 2011, and since then she has been taking care of him. “Although these incidents impacted her deeply, she didn’t let her boxing suffer and has moved from strength to strength,” said Bijender Singh, Sonia’s cousin.
“Being a girl, I was initially not allowed to step outside my house, so playing a contact sport like boxing was a far-fetched dream,” said Sonia. “But I am a very stubborn person and didn’t give up. I started by playing kabaddi, then tried my hand at wrestling, and finally at the age of 18 took to boxing. I didn’t care whatthe mohallawallahs (neighbours and town folks) thought of. I convinced my parents and once they were by my side, the rest didn’t matter.”
A silver medallist in the 57kg weight category at the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, Sonia wants to give a befitting reply to everyone who discouraged her in her childhood – every time she steps into the ring. “The condition of women is not good in Haryana as well as the country. It is only when a female athlete achieves something that the country takes notice. These inequalities give me a reason to give my best each time,” the 25-year-old reflected.
“It is very difficult to change the thinking of the society that we live in. Young girls who want to take up boxing as a career shouldn’t get deterred by what the society says or presumes. They should remain determined.”
Sonia feels girls should learn boxing or wrestling or any kind of martial art so that they can protect themselves and not depend on their male kin. “Young girls or middle-aged women should all know how to defend themselves from any kind of harm,” stressed Sonia.
“ Normally ye maana jaata hai ki ladki shayad thappad bhi nahi maar sakti (It is belief that a girl cannot slap anyone). Lekin hum bahut kuch kar sakte hai, humare mukke mein bhi dum hota hai (But we girls can do better than the boys, our punches have a lot of impact).”
Sonia’s father Prem Singh and mother Nirmal Singh are now proud that their daughter didn’t listen to what the villagers had to say and found her own calling. “My aim is to make my parents happy, and that will happen when I win gold at the upcoming Asian Games,” said Sonia.
Bijender said that Sonia is a “very short-tempered person”. “A reason for Sonia to take up boxing was to control her anger,” he said.
“Be it inside the ring or outside, I take my own decisions. I listen to my instinct,” concluded Sonia.
2016, AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship
The Times of India, May 27 2016
Sonia Lather (57kg) stood just one win away from ending India's six-year-old gold medal drought at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship as she advanced to final after outpunching Kazakhstan's Aizhan Khojabekova in the last-four stage.
The 24-year-old Sonia, who is a 2012 Asian Championships silver-medallist, defeated Khojabekova 3-0 to set up a clash with Italian Alessia Mesiano, who got the better of Bulgaria's Denitsa Eliseeva by a similar margin.
The lone Indian left in the fray, Sonia was quick off the blocks against her rather sloppy rival. Combining right hooks with power-packed jabs, Sonia threw Khojabekova off balance on more than one occasion.
Khojabekova was mostly clueless when it came to defending herself and her feeble attempts at attack were blocked or evaded effortlessly by the quick-thinking Haryana girl.
In the end, it was hardly a surprise that judges ruled unanimously in Sonia's favour. Sonia's performance is the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing show by the Indians in the event, where none from the country , including the celebrated M C Mary Kom, could qualify for Rio Games in the three Olympic categories of 51kg, 60kg and 75 kg.
2016
The Times of India, May 28 2016
Ritu Sejwal
Settles for silver
Sonia Lather was a little-known name before the World Championship boxing began in Astana in 2016. But by the time the tournament concluded, she was being hailed as the next star in Indian women's boxing after Mary Kom and Sarita Devi.
Sonia, who was the lone Indian to make the final in any weight category, lost to top seed AlessiaMesiano of Italy 1-2 in the 57kg category to settle for silver.
The lady from Haryana, who is working as a junior clerk with the Indian Railways, had won the Asian Championship silver in 2012.
2018
Devadyuti Das, November 15, 2018: The Times of India
Place of Birth: Dadri, Haryana Category: Lightweight (57kg)
Haryana’s Sonia was inspired by Kavita Chahal, the first female pugilist to receive the Arjuna award from the state. In 2012, she joined the Bhiwani Boxing Academy, and in her first year of training, she won silver at the National School Games. A bronze came in the subjunior national championship in 2012. Sonia secured her first national gold in 2016. Now, boxing alongside Kavita, the 21-year old won the bronze at the 32nd Ahmet Comert Boxing Tournament in Turkey.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2018:
Bronze, Ahmet Comert Boxing Tournament, Turkey
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
Gold, 2017 Serbia Cup
QF, 2017 Invitational Boxing Tournament, Ireland
Gold, 2016 National Boxing Championship
