NEW DELHI: In the boxing ring in China, 20-year-old Prachi delivered the performance that announced her arrival on the senior international stage. Competing in her first senior World Boxing Cup, the boxer from Jhajjar, Haryana, defeated a Paris Olympic medallist in the quarterfinals, underlining her potential as one of India’s brightest young boxing prospects.The victory was significant, but for those who know Prachi’s story, it was simply the latest chapter in a journey built on fearless transitions, family support and unwavering belief. Long before she stepped into a boxing ring, Prachi was a gymnast. Her parents had enrolled her in the sport to channel her boundless energy and keep her occupied. The years spent on the gymnastics mat would later become a hidden advantage, giving her the flexibility, agility and footwork that now define her boxing style.Her introduction to boxing came through an unusual source — her mother.A policewoman and a former national silver medallist in boxing, Prachi’s mother would train at Maharshi Dayanand Stadium in Jhajjar. Young Prachi often accompanied her and watched the sessions with curiosity. What began as simple observation gradually turned into participation, and around 2015-16, she entered the ring for the first time.“When your mother also starts playing the sport with you, you naturally benefit from it. My mother was a national silver medallist. Although she was a policewoman, she also boxed for some time. So, from the beginning, she understood all the rules, how much practice was required, and the level of competition. Because of all these things, I received a lot of guidance from her,” Prachi told TOI.The mother-daughter bond soon evolved into a unique sporting partnership. Her mother trained alongside her, sharing her knowledge of the sport, its demands and the discipline required to succeed. Although family responsibilities eventually forced her mother to step away from boxing, the lessons she passed on became the foundation of Prachi’s career.Supported equally by her businessman father and her extended family, including her grandparents, Prachi grew up in an environment that encouraged her sporting ambitions.Success came quickly.She won gold at the junior state level early in her career, emerged as a state champion representing Haryana and later competed for Railways, gaining valuable exposure on the national circuit. Her breakthrough on the international stage arrived in 2024 when she claimed gold at the Under-23 Asian Boxing Championships, marking her out as a rising star in Indian boxing.The World Boxing Cup in China, however, represented an entirely different challenge. Facing a Paris Olympic medallist in the quarterfinals, Prachi knew she was up against an accomplished opponent. But she carried no fear into the ring.“I wanted to give my best and believed I could win a medal if I got the opportunity. When I came to know that my opponent had competed in the Olympics, I knew she wouldn’t be an easy opponent. But even then, I wanted to give my best. From the very beginning, I had it in my mind that if I got this opportunity, I wanted to win a medal. I believed that I could do it,” she said. That self-belief has become one of her defining qualities. Despite her young age, Prachi approaches elite competition with remarkable confidence, convinced that a strong foundation and proper preparation can make any challenge surmountable.Unlike many athletes whose journeys are shaped by financial struggles, Prachi’s story has been one of adaptation — moving from gymnastics to boxing, adjusting to higher levels of competition and learning to cope with the expectations that come with early success.Her rapid rise has already made her one of the most exciting names in Indian women’s boxing. Yet, for Prachi, the journey is far from complete.The goals, she says, keep changing with every achievement. One success creates the desire for another, and expectations only grow stronger. At the centre of those ambitions lies the dream shared by every athlete — representing India at the Olympics.“In sports, goals get set automatically. After one achievement comes the next, and then another. Those goals are always in front of us, and they motivate us to work hard every day. This is true for every athlete, not just me. Once you achieve something, the expectations of your family, your coaches, and everyone around you increase. People expect you to do even better in the future,” she added.From a restless child on a gymnastics mat in Jhajjar to defeating an Olympic medallist on the world stage, Prachi’s story is one of courage, family and an unshakable belief that the biggest victories are still to come.
