"Mother Made Her Learn": How Lovlina Borgohain Took To Boxing On Mother's Insistence

Boxer Lovlina Borgohain will compete in the semifinals of her welterweight category at the Tokyo Olympics knowing well that she has ensured a medal for her country. Borgohain's could well be the third medal for India at the Games after shuttler PV Sindhu's bronze and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu's silver. Borgohain, who hails from Baromukhia village in Golaghat district of Assam, learned trading blows because her mother wanted her and her sisters to learn self-defence, Lovlina's father Tiken Borgohain told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

Lovlina's father also revealed that the pugilist got treatment done for her mother's kidney ailment with her Arjuna Award money.

"Lovlina's first dream was to compete at the Olympics and win a medal. That dream has been fulfilled now," Tiken Borgohain told NDTV. 

"I am usually away from home and (Lovlina's) mother stays at home with the three daughters. So, she (the mother) thought that for the girls' self-protection, they must learn combat," he added.

"The mother made her learn. She said, 'You can learn kick-boxing or karate but you must learn something for self-protection.'"

Tiken Borgohain recalled: "At the time Lovlina was picked for the Olympics, her mother fell ill. So Lovlina dedicated (the money from) her Arjuna Award to her mother. 

"Her mother encouraged Lovlina and asked to not worry about her health and focus on the Olympics campaign."

Lovlina will take on Busenaz Surmeneli in the semifinal on Tuesday after having enjoyed a dream run in Tokyo.

Whether she wins or loses will be decided in the ring, but Lovlina's sacrifices for herself and her mother have already inspired a generation of boxers to come.