Nitu Ghanghas

Born on October 19, 2000, in Dhanana village of Bhiwani district, Haryana, Nitu Ghanghas is an extraordinary world champion southpaw boxer who has added another glorious chapter to Bhiwani’s legacy as India's 'Mini Cuba'. Inspired by Vijender Singh's historic Olympic bronze in 2008, young Nitu took up boxing in 2012, fueled by the unwavering determination of her father, Ram Kishan Ghanghas, an employee in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Believing completely in his daughter's talent, her father took three years of unpaid leave, risking his family’s financial stability to cycle with Nitu twenty kilometers daily from Dhanana to the famed Bhiwani Boxing Club to train under legendary Dronacharya award-winning coach Jagdish Singh. Nitu proved that every sacrifice was worthwhile, rapidly developing a lethal southpaw counter-punching style with blistering hand speed and ring vision. She dominated youth international boxing, winning consecutive Gold Medals at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Guwahati (2017) and Budapest (2018). Transitioning to senior international competition, she announced her arrival by capturing Gold at the prestigious Strandja Memorial Tournament in Bulgaria in 2022. Later that year, at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Nitu put on a boxing masterclass in the minimumweight (48 kg) category, winning the Gold Medal with unanimous referee-stopped-contest victories. In March 2023, she reached the absolute summit of amateur boxing at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi. Overcoming fierce international contenders, she defeated Mongolia's Lutsaikhany Altantsetseg 5–0 in the final to be crowned World Champion. Nitu Ghanghas stands as an inspiring symbol of grit, familial sacrifice, and youthful championship triumph from the boxing heartland of Haryana, paving the way for future generations of women pugilists across rural India. Beyond her championship titles, Nitu has been appointed as a sports officer in Haryana, using her platform to campaign against female infanticide and motivate rural families to support their daughters in sports. Her historic rise exemplifies how family sacrifice and relentless courage can shatter every barrier.

Honors & Career Highlights