NEW DELHI: “Sports ek tapasya hai,” says Indian boxer Parveen Hooda, reflecting on a period that saw her miss the Paris Olympics because of a 22-month ban, deal with her father’s battle with cancer, and eventually return to the ring to win an Asian Games gold medal.At 23, Parveen has already experienced the disappointment of losing an Olympic opportunity she had worked years to earn. She had secured a quota for Paris when a suspension for three whereabouts failures ruled her out of the Games. She was also stripped of the bronze medal she had won at the 2022 Asian Games.Her father, Lakhpat Hooda, has been battling stage-three throat cancer and heart problems. The family has also faced financial difficulties in the past, with her mother, Neelam Devi, having supported the household by selling milk from two buffaloes when Parveen was growing up.Through the suspension, Parveen continued training despite having no competition to prepare for. Her return culminated in gold in the women’s 65kg category at the Asian Games, where she defeated Chinese Taipei’s Nien-chin Che in the final.“Now, when I look back at those day, I feel very proud of myself because I did not give up. I continued training. I am grateful to the people who stood by me during this journey,” Parveen told Timesofindia.com in an exclusive interview.“This journey has made me very strong, both mentally and physically. I am grateful that I went through that phase because it helped me become a better person.”
The pressure of an Asian Games final
Parveen entered the Asian Games final having beaten opponents from China and Uzbekistan previously. She was confident about her preparation, but the expectations surrounding her were difficult to ignore.“I was confident because I had beaten both my opponents from China and Uzbekistan. But there was also a lot of pressure in the final because so many expectations were attached to me. Once I reached the final, everyone expected me to win gold,” she said.
Image credit: Special arrangement
It had been a long time since she had competed in a final at a major event. The prospect of winning gold brought its own nerves.“I was a little nervous because I was competing in a final at such a big event after a long time. But beating those opponents had also increased my confidence, and my preparation was very good. I felt confident going into the final bout. I thanked God and felt happy that we had come so far in this journey. I had reached the final, and so many people were congratulating me. There were also a lot of outside distractions,” she said.Parveen had analysed her opponent’s bout before the final. The challenge was to keep her attention on the fight amid the activity around her.“My mindset was to put everything aside and focus only on the final bout. I had analysed my opponent’s bout. It was a little difficult to concentrate because so many people from the Boxing Federation of India were also there. There were distractions, so keeping myself focused was the main thing for me.”When the result was announced, Parveen folded her hands and looked up at the sky. She then ran towards her coach, took the Indian flag and draped it around her shoulders. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she completed a lap of honour.For Parveen, the victory came after months in which she had been unable to compete and had watched the Paris Olympics from home.
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When a 22-month ban ended her Paris Olympics hopes
Parveen had secured a quota for the Paris Olympics when she was handed a 22-month suspension following three whereabouts failures. Under the anti-doping whereabouts system, athletes included in a registered testing pool must provide accurate location information, including a designated 60-minute daily window during which they can be located for testing. A combination of three missed tests or filing failures within a 12-month period can constitute an anti-doping rule violation.Parveen admits she had not paid enough attention to the requirements.“I learnt that we take things too casually. We players mostly focus on training, but we do not always learn enough about these other things. I was also casual about whereabouts and did not properly learn how it worked. We should be educated and have knowledge about these things. If I am part of the whereabouts system, I should know how it works. Many athletes take these things very casually,” she said.The suspension left her without a clear target. For someone accustomed to preparing for tournaments, continuing the same training routine without knowing when she would compete again became difficult.“I needed to be mentally very tough at that time because there was no goal in front of me. Usually, we prepare for something specific in training. But at that time, there was no target. Motivation remains very low because you keep thinking, ‘What are we doing this for?’ There is no aim ahead,” she said.
Parveen Hooda with her family members (Image credit: Special arrangement)
“My mind did not want me to train even for one day, but I did not miss a single day of training. Somewhere, I had made that commitment to myself. I believed in myself. I knew that I had achieved so much in this journey and that I could do it again. I knew the basics and how to get things done. That was my mindset,” she said.Parveen spent more time at home during the suspension. She listened to motivational songs, prayed, recited the Hanuman Chalisa and continued working on her boxing.She also tried to concentrate on what remained within her control.“When bad times come, that is when you find out about your champion mindset. You learn how you handle negative situations. I focused more on the things I should be grateful for. I was fit, I had no injury, and my family was doing well. I accepted that this had happened because of my mistake and that I would correct it going forward. But that did not mean I should sit back and stop training,” she added.Watching the Paris Olympics was particularly difficult. Her friends were competing at an event where she had expected to represent India.“I felt sad because my friends were competing there while I was sitting at home watching their bouts. I felt that I should also have been there, competing. But I never thought of quitting,” she said.
Father’s cancer battle weighed on Parveen during Asian Games camp
While Parveen was working towards her return, her family was dealing with Lakhpat’s illness. He had been diagnosed with stage-three throat cancer and was also suffering from heart problems.His health had affected his ability to work, adding to the family’s financial difficulties.During the Asian Games, Lakhpat was hospitalised while Parveen was at the training camp. She kept in touch with him through video calls.“I was at the camp during the Asian Games, and my father was hospitalised. I felt very bad that I was not with him at that time. I was in touch with him on video calls. A glimpse of him and his smile were enough to motivate me,” she said.“I cried during practice, and all I wanted was to regain my pride and make my father and mother proud once again.”The family travelled to different hospitals in search of treatment, including facilities in Chandigarh and Mohali. Parveen was involved in finding medical care for her father and spent time with him during her suspension.“We travelled from one corner to another to take my father to various hospitals. We consulted doctors in Chandigarh and Mohali as well. I just wanted him to recover. Thankfully, all our efforts helped improve my father’s health. So, in a way, it was a good opportunity because I could be with him,” she said.
‘Achha, theek ho gaya beta’
When Parveen returned home from the Asian Games with the gold medal around her neck, her mother was overcome with emotion.“My mother was very emotional when I entered the house with the gold medal around my neck. She was with me throughout the struggle and would always say, ‘You work so hard.’ She cried a lot that night,” Parveen said.
Parveen Hooda with her father, mother and brother (Image credit: Special arrangement)
Her father’s reaction was rather understated. “When I told my father that I had won gold, he just said, ‘Achha, theek ho gaya beta’ (Okay, that’s good, child). He was happy, but he does not express his emotions much,” she said with a laugh.
Los Angeles 2028: Another shot at the Olympics
The Paris Olympics remain a painful memory for Parveen, but her next target is already set. She wants to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 and win a medal for India.Her Asian Games gold has restored her confidence ahead of another Olympic cycle. She continues to rely on prayer and meditation, practices she says helped her through the suspension.“This period gave me a lot of strength. I am stronger now, both physically and mentally. I listen to the Hanuman Chalisa, worship and recite mantras. Meditation helped me a lot. It gives me positive energy and makes me feel that God’s blessings are with me. I am sure Los Angeles will be mine,” she said.
Image credit: Special arrangement
Back home in Rurki village, Parveen sometimes sits quietly in front of a small temple and thinks about the period when she continued training despite having no competition in sight.Asked what she would say to the younger version of herself who went through those difficult months, she had a simple answer.“I want to say thank you to that Parveen. She faced so much struggle to make the Parveen I am today. She worked hard and did not give up,” she said.And then she returned to the words she had heard from her earlier coaches, words that she says she now understands better.“People say that sports is a tapasya. I had heard this from my earlier coaches, but now I have felt it myself. It is truly a tapasya,” Parveen signed off.
