Mittal won the gold medal in the 46 Kg. category in 2014.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: When Rishu Mittal of Haryana won the gold medal for 46 Kg. category boxing at the national championships in Gwalior last December, she thought it would be a life changing moment for her.
Five months after her winning streak, Mittal, 16, is however, forced to work as a domestic help to continue her studies.
Mittal is currently working in bungalows near her home, earning what little she can, only enough to pay her school fees. She is a 10th standard student and lives with her brother who works at a local shop. The siblings are orphans as they have lost their parents.
Mittal starts her day working as a house maid after which she attends school and later in the evening, practices her boxing skills. Her coach Rajinder Singh, who spoke highly about her, said: “This girl has lost her parents. Her brother is doing a low paying job. She works at other people’s homes to survive.”
Mittal is a native of Kaithal in Haryana and aspires to become a boxer like Mary Kom. She had earlier won bronze medals during the Sub-Junior Women’s State Boxing Championships held at Bhiwani and Faridabad in the year 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Mittal is a registered member of the Indian Boxing Federation and Haryana State Boxing Association.
Olympic medallist Mary Kom, who made her dream a reality under similar circumstances, has offered to help Mittal after learning of her predicament.
Network 18 quoted Mary Kom as saying: “I am ready to help her. I will be happy if she can come and get trained in my academy. I will fulfil all her requirements. Her story is almost same as mine. When I started boxing I also had to struggle a lot, my family never supported me.”