Boxing
Five athletes from Virat Kohli Foundation who could make it big
Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the best batsman in the world. The Indian captain has achieved unimaginable things in the cricket field. But it doesn’t ends there, apart from his stellar performances in the field; Virat gives back to the society in his own way. He set up the Virat Kohli Foundation (VKF) in 2013 to support upcoming sporting talents in the country, with an aim to make India a sporting superpower. Here, we look at some athletes supported by the Virat Kohli Foundation, who have the potential to make it big and bring laurels to the country:
Aadil Bedi
Aadil Bedi is a 19 year old golfer from Chandigarh. He was inducted into the VKF in 2017. He started playing the game at the age of just 5 and became the youngest to represent India in golf at the 2018 Asian Games. He also turned professional later that year. Aadil claimed his first professional title during the Bengal Golf Open Championship in March 2020.
Sumit Nagal
Without an iota of doubt, Sumit Nagal is one of the most popular players supported by VKF and was inducted in 2017. Sumit won the junior Wimbledon doubles in 2015 and is only the sixth Indian to win a junior Grand Slam title. He made his Grand Slam debut at the US Open against the legendary Roger Federer and became the youngest Indian to qualify for a singles Grand Slam draw in the last 25 years. He is currently ranked world number 124 and is definitely one of the brightest Tennis prospect for India.
Sakshi Chaudhary
Hailing from the state of Haryana, Sakshi Chaudhary is a 20 year old boxer. She was inducted into the VKF in 2019. Inspired by fellow state-mate and Indian boxing legend, Vijender Singh, Sakshi went on to win Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in 2017. She struck gold again in the 2018 edition Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships of as well.
Shivani Kataria
Shivani Kataria is a 23 year old swimmer who was inducted into the VKF in 2017. She started swimming at the age of six and now holds various national records to her name. Shivani created history during the 2016 Rio Olympics when she became the first Indian woman to swim at the Olympics since 2004.
Manush Shah
Manush Shah is a 19 year old paddler from the state of Gujarat. He was inducted into the VKF in 2019. He is ranked sixth in the world in International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) under-18 rankings and is ranked number one in India. He is also ranked 54th in under-21 world rankings while is number 11 in India senior rankings.
