Interview Highlights: I Apologised For the Sake of My Nation, Boxer Sarita Devi Tells NDTV

Indian boxer Sarita Devi, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Games after a controversial bout against host nation South Korea's Park Ji-Na, spoke exclusively to NDTV. A disconsolate Sarita had refused to accept her bronze medal during the medal ceremony. She later apologised for her actions.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

- What has happened with me at Asian Games, should not happen to anyone else.

- What I did at the medal ceremony was not pre-planned. If it was pre-planned, I wouldn't have come out to the medal ceremony.

- I was pained at the way I was treated by the system.

- My Korean opponent also knew I was the winner. At the podium, she came and told me that according to her I was the winner.

- I worked extremely hard for this competition. I had to stay away from my one-and-a-half-year old child. He doesn't even recognize me sometimes.

- I felt very lonely in Korea but I am very happy with the support I have got in India.

- I want to thank fans from India to help me recover from a broken heart in Korea.

- I wanted to put the Indian flag on top but when I saw it at the bottom, I couldn't control myself.

- I want to forget this episode and start preparing for the upcoming World Championships and prove my worth.

- I thought a lot and then apologised to the AIBA for what I did at the Asian Games podium.

- I feel much better after coming back to India and meeting my family.