At the age of 21, Hitesh Gulia proudly stands on the podium with a gold medal, yet he fondly remembers his initial purpose for entering the boxing ring: to lose weight. He visited the government stadium in his village, Jahangirpur, with the goal of getting fitter, but his coach, Hitesh Deswal, recognized his potential and encouraged him to pursue boxing. Reflecting on his journey, Gulia states that his original aim was simply to improve his health, but this decision transformed his life, making him aware of his own capabilities.
In 2015, in a small village in Jhajjar district, Haryana, an 11-year-old boy named Hitesh was actively engaged in boxing, while his father, a taxi driver, faced his own struggles outside the ring. Hitesh reflects on this experience, noting that his father never let him feel the weight of their hardships. Despite a long day of work, his father encouraged him to focus on his boxing training.
Hitesh, an emerging star in Indian boxing, has recently gained recognition for his remarkable performance in the men’s 70kg category, where he clinched gold at the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida. This victory marks his third international medal within the year. Earlier in April, he achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian to secure a gold medal at the World Boxing Cup held in Brazil (Stage 1), followed by a silver medal in Stage 2 in Astana. Reflecting on his journey, Hitesh emphasizes the extensive effort behind his success, stating, “Iss saal maine doosra gold jeeta, par iske peeche 10 saal ki mehnat hai” (This year, I won my second gold, but it comes after 10 years of hard work). A pivotal moment in his career occurred when he joined the Indian Navy as a sailor, which provided him access to high-quality training facilities that helped elevate his skills. Hitesh concludes by expressing that with each achievement, his aspirations draw closer to reality.
