India Helps Tragedy-Hit Nepal In Asian Games Preparations, Boxers Practice In Assam
In a significant boost to India-Nepal sporting ties, the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence, or NCOE, in Guwahati is hosting the Nepal Boxing Team for an extended high-performance training camp ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
In a significant boost to India-Nepal sporting ties, the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence, or NCOE, in Guwahati is hosting the Nepal Boxing Team for an extended high-performance training camp ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The Nepal delegation, comprising seven boxers and two coaches, has been training at SAI Guwahati and will continue its camp until till today, before travelling directly to Japan for the Asian Games, which begin on September 19. The training camp was organised following a request from the Nepal Boxing Federation.
The team includes Ramisha Shrestha, Asmita Duwal, Kusum Tamang, Chandra Bahadur Thapa, Khagendra Roka Magar, Dan Bahadur Darlami and Rabin Nepal, competing across different weight categories.
The boxers are training under SAI coaches Narendra Rana, Trideep Borah and Pranamika Borah, with a focus on technical development, physical conditioning, tactical preparation and competitive readiness.
A key feature of the camp has been the opportunity for the Nepalese boxers to train and spar with boxers from the Indian Army and Meghalaya. The exposure has allowed the visiting athletes to experience different boxing styles and tactical approaches.
The ongoing camp is being conducted on a no-cost-to-SAI basis, while the Nepal Boxing Federation is bearing expenses related to international travel, visas, medical insurance and other incidental costs.
Speaking about her experience, Nepalese boxer Ramisha Shrestha said the intensive training and exposure to skilled Indian boxers had boosted the team's confidence ahead of the Asian Games.
Ramisha Shrestha said:
"The training has been intense here. We have trained with some amazing and skilled boxers, so we feel pretty confident and ready for the Asian Games. The experience has been amazing. We have had so much fun here, and every athlete and staff member has been very kind and generous towards us. The stay has been amazing."
Executive Director of SAI, Guwahati, D.K. Mittal, said the centre was pleased to host the Nepal team and expressed hope that the training camp would help the boxers perform well at the Asian Games.
D.K. Mittal said:
"I think it is an excellent and amazing feeling that the Nepal team has come to the NCOE Guwahati. This is the first time they have come here, and they suggested holding a camp before the Asian Games. They sent a team of seven athletes and two coaches. Since August 10, they have been undergoing training, and I hope they will benefit from it and win medals at the Asian Games in Japan."
On the friendly competition organised during the camp, Mittal added:
"We also conducted a competition for almost five days. Both teams benefited from it."
The ongoing initiative highlights Guwahati's growing potential as a regional high-performance sporting hub while further strengthening sporting and people-to-people ties between India and Nepal.