How I learnt Boxing in NDA ?
Credits:- Written by someone from ex-nda community .I am not the author of this anecdote.Full credits to the anonymous author.
Someone suggested that if you want to survive in second term, get into boxing. So I volunteered , though had never seen gloves before.
So I would take all the ragda : running up and down the boxers hill, punching like madman at the punching bag ( I had not even seen the Bruce Lee movie where he says " boards don't hit back ").
Seniors would make us do lot of shadow boxing : I was good at that also.
But no one taught boxing and neither actual sparring was done.
I was very happy getting meals with full liberty and extra diet like raw eggs etc ,thinking I will never be selected to fight.
And then one day VIth termers landed up and made us pair up and box.
My opponent was a third termer sainik school type with boxing experience.
So when the bout started I saw him move like a flash towards me. I closed my eyes put my head down and threw my arms towards him.
So my eyes are closed and I am waiting for a flurry of punches at me. But there was total silence and some approving sounds from the 6th termers . I open my eyes and see my opponent lying on the floor.
Off course he got up and bashed me up left right, but the damage was done. The team selectors were already impressed.
We continued with our practice but my senior would never spar with me due to the injury to his nose and I still believed I Will never be picked up in the team.
But to my disbelief not only was I selected, I had also exceeded my weight category due to all hogging and extra diet.
When the Sqn Cdr Maj dhanda heard this he declared that if I didn't fight well I will be given 7 days.
Finally I boxed without having sparred even once in my life. I was punching air throughout the bout. Got hammered by the opponent , though first time I realised that those gloves are meant to protect you and not hurt. Despite all hammering there was no pain : may be advantage of being in very lightweight group.
But squadi kept his word and I was given 7 days. some more boxers also joined me on perifery.
I hope our Olympic team is not selected in same way