Nikhat Zareen: Those criticising you will also applaud when you start winning

Nikhat Zareen, stuck in Hyderabad because of the nationwide lockdown, is eyeing a Central Government job, which will help her grow in the boxing circuit.

Former national champion Nikhat Zareen has come to Hyderabad without any equipments, which would have helped her train.

For Nikhat Zareen, former Youth World boxing championship gold medallist, the long wait continues for a decent job!

The 23-year-old Hyderabadi came to the city just before the nationwide lockdown was declared, with the specific intent of meeting Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao to follow up on the promise of getting a State Government job. She had actually expressed her desire to join the Police Department.

However, she later realised if she were to join the State Police, she can only represent All India Police in national events. Hence, Nikhat changed her mind and is now making efforts to take up a Central Government job which would help her grow in the boxing circuit.

READ |

“I have been trying for a job since 2018 but nothing has materialised so far. The whole of 2019 I was busy with camps and competitions and with nothing much scheduled after the last big event this January in Strandja International meet where I finished quarterfinalist, I thought of pursuing the job issue,” says Nikhat, a BA graduate.

The shutdown has brought up further problems as the former national champion has come to the city without any equipments, which would have helped her train.

“Well, frankly, there are no events scheduled for the rest of this year for me. And, I doubt any being held in post-COVID scenario this year,” she says.

“I will not say I am disappointed at not making it to the originally-scheduled Tokyo Olympics this year. Anyhow, I have no chance of being in the reckoning even in the postponed schedule as only those who have made the cut already will be there,” Nikhat explained.

Boxer Nikhat Zareen doing shadow practice at home in Hyderabad.

"There were lots of messages after the controversy over the selection trials for the Tokyo Olympics. Some of them were very bad and hurt me. But, soon I realised that those who criticise would be the same who would applaud you if you start winning. So, I stayed positive and more determined,” she said.

“Anyhow, my target is to make it big in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. With that in mind, I will be preparing the whole of 2020 if, hopefully, the situation eases,” says the gifted boxer hails from Nizamabad. “I want to come back fitter and stronger next year,” she added.

“Right now, I am doing some shadow boxing, stretching exercises to stay fit and safe at home. Unfortunately, though I wanted to do some running, I cannot because of the unsafe environment,” Nikhat said even while revealing that she could not also attend many online classes of the Boxing Federation of India because of the clash of the schedule with the Ramadan prayers.