The girl from Manipur thanks her husband for being the rock she could lean on as she takes on the ring with her attacking prowess
MC Mary Kom might be the most famous boxer to emerge from Manipur, but there are a host of other pugilists from the north-eastern state who have similar rags-to-riches stories to relate. Born in the town of Mayang on the banks of the Imphal River, former lightweight (60 kg) world champion Laishram Sarita Devi had to overcome a host of challenges in her quest for boxing greatness.
Growing up in an agricultural family as the sixth of eight siblings, Sarita used to spend her time helping her parents in collecting firewood, which helped her build the stamina she has today. But her sporting journey started with completely different disciplines — Taekwondo and Kickboxing — and her association with boxing happened purely by chance.”My tryst with sports started at the age of 13 when I was introduced to Taekwondo by my father. In 1997, my father passed away. To fulfil his dream of becoming a successful sportsperson, I went back to serious sports and this time chose Kick-boxing,” says Sarita, an Arjuna awardee.
“I loved the sport, but realised that I needed strength in my hands to punch. I went to a boxing coach to improve and ended up loving the sport. By December 1999, I was fully into boxing and the rest, as they say, is history,” recalls the champ.
Sarita, who is serving a one-year ban imposed by the International Boxing Association (Aiba) for refusing to accept the medal, remembers last year’s controversy at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, as a nightmare. However, now, she is ready to move on and her only focus is on qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“Currently, I am recuperating from the wrist surgery I had after the Asian Games. While I can’t box right now, I am utilising the time to transform my body. I want to qualify for the Olympic Games, which will be my first Olympics — I want to be 100 percent fit to give it my all,” said the 30-year-old. Sarita turned professional in 2000, inspired by the achievements of legendary American heavyweight Muhammad Ali. The following year, she took a silver at the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok. She also went on to clinch gold at the 2006 World Championships.
“The World Championship (2005) bronze medal in Russia was the turning point of my life and my career. I got a government job in the state police after that and I could fully focus on my career,” she recalls with a smile. “I idolise Mohammed Ali for his extraordinary performances and also for his humanitarian work. My first gold medal at the World Championship in 2006 is the most memorable moment of my career to date,” says the mother of a two-year son.
And it was not easy for Sarita to come back to the ring after maternity leave. But having a supportive family makes her task easy. “My husband has been a pillar of strength for me after my father. It’s not as difficult if you have a supportive family. So in my case, my husband and other family members take care of the home front. Even on the professional front, my husband looks after things to a great extent. I am lucky,” she adds.
The softspoken boxer loves to support social causes and keeps busy with charitable activities when not getting into the ring and getting into the thick of things.
“My most cherished activity used to be taking part in social service camps as a volunteer before I became completely focused on my boxing career. I still remember those days and it gives me inner peace and satisfaction,” she says.
Sarita loves watching sports, and a bit of drama too — with some daily soaps on TV during leisure and also loves listening to music. “I love old Hindi film songs, specially Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar’s. My all-time favourite movies are Sholay and 3 Idiots — I can keep watching them, again and again,” she adds.
Being a self-proclaimed fashionista, Sarita likes to do her bit of shopping, and she looks forward to those special occasions when she can dress to the nines. Travel too keeps her happy.
“Fashion to me means I must be comfortable with whatever I wear. I love shopping in London. It’s a shopping paradise and has a wonderful buzz to it. In India, it’s Kerala for its beautiful backwaters and delicious food,” she remarks. To keep herself mentally strong, the mother also relies on yoga and sticks to a healthy lifestyle.
“I believe that to keep yourself fit, you do not need to work out all the time in the gym. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, that includes your food habits. And most importantly, keep your mind in a positive frame. I do meditation every day. It helps me a lot in cooling down, which in turn allows me to focus on work completely.”
MEDAL TALLY
- Sarita’s international golds in five different weight categories:
- 51 kg: Asian Championship, 2010 Kazakhastan
- 52 kg: World Championship, 2006 Delhi
- 54 kg: Asian Championship, 2008 Guwahati
- 57 kg: World Police Games 2009, Vancouver, Canada
- 60 kg: Asian Championship, 2012 Mongolia
