Arundhati Chaudhary, Rajasthan’s first boxer, is disappointed that despite achieving the historic feat of winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, she has yet to receive any encouragement or congratulatory message from the state government. Arundhati defeated England’s Chantelle Reid 5-0 in the women’s 70kg final to win the gold medal.
Arundhati said this achievement was the result of her family’s sacrifice and the inspiration to make history for her state. She explained that after arriving in Glasgow, she learned that she was the first female boxer to represent Rajasthan at the Commonwealth Games.
“There are no special facilities for boxing in Rajasthan”
23-year-old Arundhati said in an online press conference, “This was an opportunity for me to become the first boxer to win a medal for my state at the Commonwealth Games. There was no pressure, but this was my biggest motivation. I achieved what I set my mind to.” My coach and father also told me that I had nothing to lose, but I definitely had a chance to make history.
Arundhati said that she won the final bout unilaterally, making her achievement even more special. Expressing disappointment with the boxing infrastructure in Rajasthan, she said, “There are no special facilities for such sports in Rajasthan. It’s been a long time since I won a medal, but I haven’t received any good wishes or encouragement from the state government or the Sports Minister.”
Athletes Coming Up on Their Own – Arundhati
This player from Kota district of Rajasthan said, “The players coming up from there (Rajasthan) are doing so on their own. Even in Kota, there are no special facilities for boxing. When I go there, I have to practice on the cricket field. That’s why I joined the Indian Army and am training using the facilities there.”
Arundhati received full support from her family in her journey to becoming a boxer. Her father observed a fast before her first Commonwealth Games bout, which was broken only after she won the gold medal. Arundhati said, “When I won my first bout at the Commonwealth Games, my elder sister told me that my father was fasting for me to win the gold medal. After that, I became fully committed to winning the gold medal. I also had to do something for my state. I received full support from my family.”
Overcame a fever in the final
Arundhati had a high fever before the final bout, but she said that athletes have to overcome their physical problems and perform on such a big stage. She said, “The opportunity to prove oneself on such a big stage comes after a very long time. In such a situation, injury, weight loss, or illness cannot be excuses. All these things will heal later, but if a medal is lost, it will never come back. The next opportunity at the Commonwealth Games comes only after four years.”
Arundhati said, “I took paracetamol to reduce my fever shortly before the final, but as soon as I entered the ring, I forgot everything. There were a large number of Indian spectators present. The chants of ‘India, India’ and ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ boosted my confidence significantly, and I played the match with that same energy.”