Arjuna Awardee Sarita Devi's academy hounds young boxers

The Sarita Regional Boxing Academy, which was established by Arjuna Awardee Laishram Sarita Devi in the year 2012, has started giving trainings to more than 60 students of the remote rural villages with the aim of promoting the sport of boxing amongst underprivileged youth in Manipur.

The academy was established as a non-profit organisation in 2012 at the temporary centre at the Prabhavati College Hall in Mayang Imphal Village by Sarita and her husband Thoiba.

It caters and grooms aspirant boxers hailing from different remote and rural villages along the Mayai Lambi route, especially those students who come from the poor family back ground.

The academy, which is being run under the patronage of the Sarita Regional Boxing Foundation, has so far produced more than eight young boxers who have won medals and of which four got entry at Army Boys at Pune.

At present, Sarita has engaged two coaches with a minimum honorarium of Rs. 5000 each, which is being given from her own pocket.

Given that a lot of sportspersons in Manipur come from weak socio-economic backgrounds, Sarita decided to set up a fostering ground for youngsters with potential. The academy has been running despite financial and infrastructural challenges initially and has managed to churn out regional and state champions.

State pugilist Sarita, who was earlier announced as the brand ambassador of International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), Kolkata, has recently inked an agreement with the institute to sponsor boxing kits for her boxing academy.