Asian Games silver medalist and Arjuna awardee boxer Dinesh Kumar was considered the next big thing in Indian boxing but the irony of fate saw the pugilist selling kulfi (a variety of ice cream) at a roadside stall in Haryana’s Bhiwani.
It was in 2010 when Kumar floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee to bag a Silver medal in 2010 Guangzhou in Light heavyweight boxing. The same year saw Kumar bestowed with the prestigious Arjuna award. Tragedy struck in 2014 as he was preparing for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Kumar suffered injuries during a road accident. The then Indian boxing team coach G S Sandhu termed this as “big shock”.
The injury forced Kumar’s father to borrow money. His father had already incurred a hefty debt for Kumar’s preparation. The amount was so high that Kumar was forced to become an ice cream seller. His career tally of 17 Gold, 1 silver and 5 bronze are there to showcase what a champion he was and what Indian boxing missed.
A recipient of several awards, Kumar claimed that he was forced to sell kulfi as there was no help from the government. Seeking for a government job, Kumar said he could be used as a trainer to nurture and groom fledgeling boxing talents. Kumar said that he played at international and national level. He claimed that his father took a loan so that he can pursue his dream of playing at international events.