New Delhi, April 9 Over a decade ago, a father walked into a modest boxing academy in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, with a simple dream. He had two children with him and a clear instruction – to make them boxers.
On Thursday, that quiet act of belief found its loudest echo as Priya Ghanghas was crowned the women's 60kg champion at the Asian Boxing Championships.
Competing in only her second senior international tournament, the 20-year-old from Dhanana village in Haryana's Bhiwani district boxed with the assurance of a seasoned campaigner, emerging as one of India's standout performers at the continental event.
Her campaign was marked by a statement victory in the quarterfinals, where she defeated China's Chengyu, a 2023 world champion and 2025 silver medallist.
But long before the medals and milestones, there were early mornings, sibling rivalries, and a coach who saw something special.
Ravi Sangwan, a former national champion and ex-Armyman, still remembers the day Priya walked into his Dadri Boxing Academy with her father and one year older brother, Neeraj.
"In 2015, her father walked in with both his children. He said to me, 'Train them both to be good boxers'," Sangwan, now a senior boxing coach with the Haryana sports department, told