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One-man army’s endeavour to promote Boxing reaping rewards
Boxing is emerging as a popular sport in Tirupati, thanks to the initiatives of an ex-army person Surendra Babu, who was instrumental in promoting it among the youth here.
Tirupati: Boxing is emerging as a popular sport in Tirupati, thanks to the initiatives of an ex-army person Surendra Babu, who was instrumental in promoting it among the youth here. Babu who is presently working as Physical Education Teacher in a in a remote village YerraChervu of PuttalaPattu mandal had introduced boxing in Tirupati for the first time in Tirupatiin 2013 with four students.
In the beginning the boxing sport was started with four students at in small room with insufficient facilities.B Surendra Babu’spassion for promoting the sport was evident from the fact that he is pursuing this endeavour without any government support. He has been spending his own money every year i.e., around Rs. 30,000 to Rs 40,000 for promoting the sport.
Though there is a state Government sports complex here no specific facility exists for training in boxing. Presently he is training 25 students between the aged between 10 and 22 years every day at the Srinvasam sport complex in Temple city. Two of his students, Saniya, a Muslim girl and Ramya, daughter of an auto driver, have participated at national level boxing tournaments which were held in Delhi, Chennai and Punjab.
Apart from these girls, three boys, Yeswanth, Nikhil and Pavan also participated in the tournaments held at these places and bagged a total of 10 Gold, 22 silver, and more than 30 bronze medals in these tournaments.Sharing his experience with The Hans India, Surendra Babu said that he was trained as a boxer while serving in the army by his boxing guru(coach) Chandrapal Singh. Later he retired from army in 1998.
In 2006 he was selected as Physical Education Teacher and posted in Chitoor district. “I have a passion to promote boxing among the youth.That is why I am spending my own money for training poor children and youngsters,” he says and added that if the government extends financial assistance for setting up infrastructure for training then youth in Tirupati can bring laurels comparable to other cities. Presently, I am training them in a small room at Srinivasam sports complex, with the help of Administrative officer Varlakashmi”, he added.
By K Nethaji
