“Winning gold at the India Open International Kickboxing Tournament in New Delhi (Feb 1-5, 2025) was a dream come true. But this was the toughest tournament I had ever faced.
Just a few months earlier, in October 2024, I had an accident and fractured my left hand. The recovery was long, and getting back into the ring was a risk. I couldn’t take any impact on one hand, but there was no backing down. I had trained too hard to step away now.
On January 27, just days before the international tournament, I won the Telangana State Kickboxing Championship. It was a proud moment, but being a kickboxer in Telangana comes with its own challenges. Unlike athletes in northern states who get recognition and support, we are sidelined—even when we put in the same level of effort.
At the 4th India Open International Kickboxing Tournament at KD Jadhav Stadium, over 1000 participants from 20+ countries competed. Fighters from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Great Britain, Pakistan, Libya, Finland, Estonia, Croatia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, South Korea, and many more had come to prove themselves. The event was streamed live on Doordarshan Sports.
I won gold in the Senior Female Full Contact Fight, and Harsha Ratnakar won Silver in the Senior Male Full Contact Fight. Both of us represented Telangana on this big stage.
My journey into martial arts started when I was four years old. My mother enrolled me in Taekwondo, but by the time I was seven, I had moved to kickboxing. It didn’t take long for it to become more than just a sport—it became a part of who I am.
My parents have always supported me. My father, a software engineer, and my mother, from a business family, believed in the importance of physical fitness. But it was my mother who played the biggest role in my journey. She financed my training, accompanied me to every session, and waited patiently through all my classes. Without her, I wouldn’t be here today.
Over the years, I’ve competed in national and international championships, winning gold in all of them. Right now, I’m in my second year of intermediate studies, competing at the senior level in Full-Contact Kickboxing. Balancing academics with intense training isn’t easy, but this sport has taught me discipline and resilience. I train under Coach Suresh Patil and his guidance has helped me refine my skills.
Despite these achievements, being a kickboxer in Telangana is tough. The sport still isn’t officially recognized in the state. That means no proper training facilities, no funding, and no structured support. The Telangana Kickboxing Association has submitted all the necessary documents to the Sports Authority of Telangana (SATG), but the process is still not so encouraging.
Right now, athletes like me rely entirely on personal resources to pursue our passion.
Kickboxing has taught me how to stay strong, how to push forward even when things don’t go my way. I hope the sport gets the recognition it deserves in Telangana. The inclusion of kickboxing in Khelo India is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go.
For now, my focus is on improving, both in the ring and in life. I’ll keep fighting, not just for titles, but for the sport itself.”
- Naisha Bajaj, Kickboxing Champion from Hyderabad