THEY'VE GOT GAME

These women have already made an indelible mark in their sports, and are on their way to achieving something bigger. As we celebrate Indian women in sports, we bring to you those who are pegged to be the next big ones

NIKHAT ZAREEN

BOXER

I was very nervous but also excited to enter the ring, reminisces 26-year-old Nikhat Zareen about her first-ever boxing match, a state-level bout in 2010. "My only aim was to win it, and I was very happy when I did." Even today, winning is the only thing she thinks of before stepping within the squared circle. The result: a medley of bronze, silver, and gold medals at many international championships that the pugilist won before winning gold at the Women's World Boxing Championships held in Istanbul this year, which vaulted her to global fame. She beat Thai boxer Jutamas Jitpong in the flyweight category and joined Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL and KC Lekha as the fifth Indian woman to become a world boxing champion.

Born in Nizamabad, Telangana, Nikhat is the youngest of four children. Growing up, she often got into trouble, and her father, a former sportsperson, introduced her to running. She turned out to be an excellent sprinter.

"During the summer games, I saw that there were girls in every sport except boxing," she recounts. "My father explained that people believed that boxing was only for men because it involves fighting and the risk of injury. I decided to take it to prove that girls could." The challenge kickstarted her boxing career and egged her on to gold and silver medals at the Junior and Youth World Championships in 2011 and 2013 respectively.