This pugilist from a fishing family is determined to punch above her weight
Feisty pugilist Thulasi E, born to a fishing family in Chennai, braved the odds to follow her passion for boxing. From selling pizzas, driving an auto-rickshaw to working in petrol bunks, she’s punched her way to the top and is now looking to compete at an international tournament. The young woman’s goal is to win an Olympic medal.
migrator
Chennai
Life has never been easy, conceded the former number third ranked boxer, who stepped into the ring at the age of 12, after watching her elder sister Saraswati fight it out. “Though my sister lost that match, I enjoyed the game and from that point on, boxing became my life,” said Thulasi, adding that she worked hard to make her way to the top. A family fracas resulted in the boxer leaving her loved ones, working odd jobs to eke out a living, while practicing boxing events, which eventually saw her winning matches. Her first victory came at the Indian International Boxing Championship XXIII at New Delhi YMCA, announcing her arrival on the scene. Recalling her halcyon days, she said, “I knew I was talented and I trained hard to rise to the number three position, even beating boxing champion Mary Kom. But there was no encouragement from the State Boxing Association and hardly any opportunities to further my career.”
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