CWG 2022: Father Jai Bhagwan takes unpaid leave to fuel Nitu's boxing dreams

Commonwealth Games, young Indian boxer Nitu Ghanghas dedicated the trophy to her doting father Jai Bhagwan, who didn't leave any stones unturned to fuel his daughter's dream. An employee at the Haryana secretariat, Bhagwan has been on unpaid leave for the last three years to train Nitu, a two-time World Youth champion. On Sunday, all the sacrifices seemed worth it as Nitu stood on the podium when the gold medal around her neck.

"The greatest feeling was to see the Tricolour going up, one of my long-standing wishes was fulfilled today. I'm thankful for everyone's blessings... this medal is for our fellow countrymen and father (Jai Bhagwan)," Nitu told PTI. "Koi kasar nahi chhoda unhone mere liye. He has not left any stone unturned and gone through many hardships but always ensured that I get the best. I would not be here without him." While the 21-year-old is an indomitable force inside the ring, outside of it she comes across as very shy. You can hardly hear her voice when she speaks. With the chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' at the makeshift stands inside the National Exhibition Centre here making the atmosphere louder, Nitu had to be escorted out of the mixed zone to a corner meant for television interviews.

But when she steps into the ring, she becomes a different person. Her coach refers to her as 'Gabbar Sherni' of the ring. "She's always been like that. Even at the camp or outside, you would hardly get to hear the voice, she hardly talks but inside the ring, she's like a 'Gabbar Sherni'," said her India coach Bhaskar Chandra Bhatt. Picked for her maiden CWG in place of her 'idol' and six-time world champion Mary Kom, who got injured, Nitu was unstoppable. "Mary Kom ma'am ki jagah ek alagh hi hai (She has a