No substitute to hard work for boxer Sumit Sangwan, among Top 30 Under 30

In the run-up to its sixth edition of Top 30 under 30, Hindustan Times profiles 30 young achievers who will be felicitated at its flagship event on May 26. They are from fields ranging from the forces, academics and art to entertainment and sports. Among them is Sumit Sangwan.

A perfect punch: Sumit Sangwan, 24, Karnal

Sumit was all of 11 when picked up gloves at his uncle’s training academy in a Karnal village.(HT File Photo)

The 24-year-old boxer clinched a silver medal in the Asian Boxing Championship held in May this year. A regular on the Indian team, he had also competed in the 2012 London Olympics. Sumit was all of 11 when picked up gloves at his uncle’s training academy in a Karnal village. His boyish looks hide a steely resolve.

Secret sauce: Hard work. “There is no substitute for hard work and you can achieve anything you set your sight on despite all odds if continue giving your 100 percent.”

Inspiration: “I am a great fan of the legendary Muhammad Ali. He is my inspiration.”

Challenges facing India: “We lack facilities at the grassroots level. There is no system in place to support budding talent. This is true not only in the field of sports, but in other spheres as well. There should be a good quality, affordable education system for all. We do have schools but where are the teachers and other infrastructure? ”

Uplifting feature: “We are very hard-working people. Our rural areas have hardly any facilities or infrastructure but despite that the youngsters there are achieving great success in the sporting arena.”

The road ahead: “Right now I am focusing on the World Championship going to be held in Germany in August this year.”

As an agent of change: “If I can achieve these heights, so can others like me. I come from a farming family near Karnal with very few sporting facilities. Yet I have done well for myself. I hope other youngsters will also follow in my footsteps.”

By the way: Sumit is obsessed with boxing. When not actually practicing in the ring or in front of the mirror, he also likes to watch old videos of Muhammad Ali and other famous boxers like Pacquiao.

To know about the other achievers click here