Nikhat Zareen
Overview
Nikhat Zareen is an Indian amateur boxer from Telangana who competes in the flyweight category. She rose to international prominence by winning gold medals at the World Boxing Championships in 2022 and 2023, becoming one of only a handful of Indian women boxers to claim multiple world titles. She also won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Key facts
| Full name |
Nikhat Zareen |
| Born |
14 June 1996, Nizamabad, Telangana, India |
| Sport |
Amateur boxing |
| Weight class |
Flyweight (50 kg / 51 kg) |
| Stance |
Orthodox |
| Coach |
Trained at the Sports Authority of India and under various national coaches |
| Major titles |
World Championships gold (2022, 2023); Commonwealth Games gold (2022); Asian Championships bronze (2022) |
| Honours |
Arjuna Award (2022); Padma Shri (2023) |
Background
Nikhat Zareen was born on 14 June 1996 in Nizamabad, in the Telangana region of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh. She was introduced to boxing by her father, Mohammed Jameel Ahmed, a former footballer and athlete, who encouraged her to take up the sport at a time when very few girls from her town pursued combat disciplines. She trained initially at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Visakhapatnam under coach IV Rao, who is credited with shaping her early technique.
Career timeline
-
2010–2011: Began competing in junior level tournaments and won the Junior and Youth National Boxing Championships.
-
2011: Won gold at the AIBA Women's Junior and Youth World Boxing Championships in Antalya, Turkey, in the flyweight category.
-
2014: Won gold at the Youth World Championships and was named the AIBA Best Boxer.
-
2019: Won a silver medal at the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, marking her senior international breakthrough.
-
2019–2020: Sought a fair trial against MC Mary Kom for the Tokyo Olympic qualifier slot, a request that drew national attention to selection processes in Indian boxing.
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2022 (May): Won the gold medal at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Istanbul in the 52 kg flyweight category, becoming only the fifth Indian woman to win a world title.
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2022 (August): Claimed gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the 50 kg category.
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2022 (November): Won bronze at the Asian Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan.
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2023 (March): Defended her world title at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships held in New Delhi, winning the 50 kg gold and becoming the third Indian woman after Mary Kom to win two world titles.
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2024: Represented India at the Paris Olympic Games in the women's 50 kg category.
Style and significance
Zareen is regarded as a fast, mobile counter-puncher with a strong jab and quick footwork suited to the flyweight division. Her two consecutive world titles placed her among the most decorated Indian women boxers, alongside MC Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain. She is also seen as a prominent figure for Muslim women athletes in India, and her public stand on transparent selection trials before the Tokyo Olympics is often cited in discussions on athlete rights in Indian boxing.
Awards and recognition
-
Arjuna Award (2022) — conferred by the Government of India for outstanding performance in sports.
-
Padma Shri (2023) — India's fourth-highest civilian award, conferred for her contribution to sports.
- Recognised by the Telangana state government and felicitated for her World Championship victories.
References
- Boxing Federation of India — official records of national and international competitions.
- International Boxing Association (IBA) — World Championships results archive.
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India — Arjuna Award citations.
- Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India — Padma Awards announcements.
- Commonwealth Games Federation — Birmingham 2022 boxing results.