Aroti Doley Shines at National Boxing Tournament with Bronze Medal
Aroti Doley's Inspiring Journey in Boxing
Guwahati, July 4: Aroti Doley's boxing journey began with encouragement from her uncle, leading her to achieve a remarkable bronze medal in the 57kg category at the recent Elite Women National Boxing Tournament held in Hyderabad.
“I owe a lot to my uncle for introducing me to boxing when I had no idea about the sport,” Aroti expressed, beaming with pride. “Now, I can see the fruits of my labor.”
She is among five talented boxers from Assam who returned with medals from the event. Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) and Ankushita Boro (65kg) both secured gold medals, while Gitimoni Gogoi (70kg) earned a silver, and Bhupali Hazarika (54kg) added another bronze to the state's achievements.
Coming from a modest background, Aroti's path to success began when her uncle, Nogen Doley, a former boxer now serving with the Assam Rifles, took her to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) center in Golaghat. “He had to give up boxing, but he always hoped I would pursue it,” Aroti recounted. She has been training at SAI Guwahati for the past three years.
“My uncle was ecstatic. He told me, ‘I always believed you would win a medal.’ He encouraged me to keep striving and learn from my experiences,” she added.
Aroti, who believes in hard work, draws motivation from boxing legends like Mary Kom and Lovlina, as well as current stars like Ankushita. “I aim to learn from every boxer I encounter. That’s how I plan to progress—step by step, day by day.” Her ultimate aspiration? “To represent India at the Olympics and secure a medal.”
In another highlight, 26-year-old Gitimoni Gogoi made her mark by winning her first national-level silver medal in the 70kg category. A trainee at SAI Guwahati, she began boxing at 17 in her hometown of Moran, later moving to Golaghat and then Guwahati to take the sport more seriously.
“This silver has boosted my confidence immensely. I’m determined to aim for gold in the next competition,” Gitimoni stated, as she prepares to attend a national camp in Patiala due to her impressive performance.
Bhupali Hazarika, 23, who also clinched a bronze in the 54kg division, has high aspirations. Hailing from Jyoti Nagar in Golaghat, she stumbled into boxing by chance. “I went to the ground just to accompany a friend,” she reminisced. “Ironically, my friend quit, and I decided to stay.”
Now in her fourth year of training at SAI Guwahati, Bhupali believes that Lovlina’s Olympic success has significantly changed the sporting landscape in Assam. “That moment inspired us all. We now have faith that we can achieve similar success. Many girls have taken up boxing seriously since then,” she remarked.
Bhupali also secured a bronze medal at the 2023 National Games and is committed to making a significant impact in the sport.
Hemanta Kumar Kalita, the general secretary of the Assam Amateur Boxing Association, commended the emerging talent. “It’s encouraging to witness this new generation of Assam boxers making their mark. With support from the state government, SAI, and our association, we are striving to assist them. I believe many more will follow in their footsteps,” he stated.