17 ‪‎Gorkha‬ Luminaries to be Felicitated in Gorkha Talent Show Assam

9:39 AM

•

Shiva Thapa

Seventeen luminaries from across Darjeeling district and Assam will be felicitated during a historic event 'Gorkha Talent Show of Assam 2016' slated for the 9th and 10 February at GMCH auditorium, Guwahati organized by Akhil Assam Gorkha Kalakar Sangh (AAGKS).

Gopal Khanal general secretary of AAGKS informed that the chief minister of Assam Tarun Gagoi will remain as chief guest in the two days event where around five thousand people will witness the historic talent show and felicitation programme.

The talent haunts for singers and dancers has already finished by conduction several rounds of auditions in entire state of Assam and finally selected 40 singers and dancers for the final round that will be held on 9th and 10th February.

 Gorkha Talent Show Assam - a file Photo

Twenty three models of Assam will also walk on ramp by wearing ethnic attires of North East to promote tradition and culture and spread peace and harmony.

Among seventeen luminaries well known model and Miss Asia University Rewati Chhetri, Olympian boxer Shiva Thapa, Boxing coach of Assam Gome Thapa, Bihu Samrat of Assam late Khagen Mahanta, Journalist from Siliguri Prashant Acharya, Editor of Himalay Darpan Shibu Chhetri, Photographer Sanjit Nandi, Dancers Pradeep Gurung, Om Chhetri, Singers Karma Sherpa, Anju Devi, Dramatists Binod Khanal, Radio artist Haren Subba, Editor of Hamro Prajashakti Anjan Upadhayaya, Editor Sapariwar Rohit Gautam and others.

Prakash Rai working president of the organizing committee also informed that several film artists, sports persons, singers and dancers are participating in the show where more than five thousand audiences will witness the historic event in North East.

Source: ECOI

READ MORE

Shiva Thapa: Heroes Of Indian Combat Sports

8:44 AM

•

sports news

India is known to have produced numerous talented boxers who have made a mark at the global stage. From the great Hawa Singh in the 1960s to the likes of Mary Kom, Akhil Kumar and Vijender Singh, these athletes have made the nation proud on several occasions. In this edition of Heroes of Combat Sports, we take a look at the journey of the country’s youngest Olympian, 21-year-old Shiva Thapa.

The young boxer has already grown into a mature athlete and will be one of India’s strongest contenders at the 2016 Olympics.

Combat sports in blood

Born on 8th December 1993, in Guwahati, Shiva Thapa is the youngest of six children. His father, Padam Thapa was a Karate instructor at Assam and his elder brother Gobind Thapa was a National level boxing champion. Gobind Thapa has won numerous accolades including National Medals and Best Boxer Awards in various competitions. At a very young age, Shiva Thapa had taken a liking towards boxing and used to watch Mike Tyson’s bouts with great interest.

Olympic Gold Quest comes to Shiva Thapa’s aid

As Shiva Thapa managed his studies and training comfortably, Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), a non-profit organization, which boosts Indian sporting talent, identified him as an enormous talent. The organization went on to make him a part of their ‘Vision 2016’ initiative. Former Indian hockeycaptain Viren Rasquinha had high regard for Thapa at the time of his association with OGQ and stated how a talented boxer like him needed proper grooming.

Amateur career and road to 2012 London Olympics

In 2008, Shiva Thapa participated at the Children of Asia. International Sports Games in Moscow and won the bronze medal. This achievement earned him a place in the Indian contingent that was travelling to Armenia for the Junior World Boxing Championships. Thapa won a bronze medal in the 52-kg weight category and was the only Indian medal-winner.

String of silver medals in 2010

After a semifinal loss at  the Asian Youth Boxing Championship, Shiva Thapa entered the finals of the Youth World    Amateur Boxing Championships. An injured fist in the semifinal bout cost him the match and he had to be content with the silver medal. Post this success, Shiva Thapa qualified for the Youth Olympics and had a good run in the tournament with a bronze medal finish in the 54-kg category.

The 2012 Asian Olympic Qualifiers were held in Astana, Kazakhstan, where Shiva Thapa defeated Syria’s Wessam Salamana 18–11 to clinch the gold medal. The result saw him qualify for the 2012 London Olympics in 56-kg category. He, however, lost in the first round of the London Olympics, losing 9–14 to Oscar Valdez Fierro of Mexico in the Bantamweight category.

WSB contract for Shiva Thapa in 2013

In July 2013, Shiva emerged victorious at the Asian Confederation Boxing Championships. He became the youngest Indian to achieve this feat. He also participated in the World Boxing Championships of the same year and went on to reach the quarterfinals in his debut stint. As he continued to grow in stature as a boxer, the World Series Boxing offered Shiva Thapa a contract for professional boxing. He became one of the first Indian boxers to receive the contract. Currently, Shiva Thapa is world no. 3 in the Bantamweight category as per the AIBA rankings.

Thapa is also an active promoter of social causes and participates in marathons and walkathons intended to raise funds for charity. We wish the young boxer from Assam all the very best for his next big mission: the 2016 Olympics.

Source : sportsrediscovered

READ MORE

Shiva Thapa: Punching Above His Weight

11:10 AM

•

story

Shiva Thapa is only 21, but is already the third Indian boxer after Vijender Singh and Vikas Krishan to win a World Championship medal. Like most achievements by Indian champions, Shiva Thapa’s bantamweight bronze in the World meet at Doha in October 2015 is the result of a lot of hard work and sacrifice.

Since Shiva’s father, Padam Thapa was a man of modest means. He did not think twice before selling his house, his land and his small-scale factory in Guwahati where he made make steel furniture – “only because nothing is more important to me than an Olympic medal.” Shiva Thapa’s tryst with the Olympic medal may be on hold but a World Championship medal is a no mean return.

After four daughters, his wife and Padam Thapa had two sons Govind and Shiva. So intent was the karate instructor that his offspring should reach the highest echelons of sport, he researched and concluded that there was maximum opportunity in an individual sport like boxing. So Govind and Shiva were initiated into boxing when they were nine and seven respectively and training began in their living room itself, where a punching bag was up.

An Early Start
While Padam Thapa picked up enough boxing to be able to coach them and spared no efforts to support their training, also ensuring that their education did not suffer either, the boys embraced his dream as their own. They did not protest much even when they were made to wake up as early as 3-30 a.m., so that they had enough time to study as well as train.

Shiva was first noticed at age 12, when he won his first sub-juniors gold in Noida, and was invited to train at Army Sports Institute, Pune. He continued with his sterling performances, winning silver at the Youth World Championships and Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, in 2010. Shiva marked his entry among the seniors with a gold winning performance at the Super Cup in Mumbai in May 2011, following it up with an international title winning performance, with a victory over the reigning world champion Dalakliev Detelin in Belgrade in September 2011.

Education Not Neglected
He notched up gold at the National championship at Karaikkudi in Tamil Nadu in December that year. And despite the disappointment in the Olympic Games in London in 2012, the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in 2014, Shiva Thapa was able to justify his talent by winning the Asian Championship title in 2013.

Brimming with confidence, this new age boxer relies more on intelligence and skill to hold him up in the ring, rather than aggression and brute strength, a hallmark of the earlier lot of successful boxers from Haryana. Shiva is amongst the new breed of sportspersons, who believe in educating themselves and pursued BA through correspondence.

To be an inspiration for younger boxers at just 21 years of age is quite something, isn’t it?

Source: zevenworld.

READ MORE

Shiva Thapa became the highest-ranked Indian boxer

6:36 PM

•

sports news

NEW DELHI: Shiva Thapa on Tuesday became the highest-ranked Indian boxer, zooming to second in the latest international rankings after winning a bronze medal at last month's World Championships in Doha.

Shiva was placed second with 1550 points in the 56kg category, up five places from the previous list. The top spot was occupied by Irishman Michael Conlan (2150 points), who won the gold medal at the World Championships.

The 22-year-old Shiva became only the third Indian ever to clinch a medal at the showpiece event after Vijender Singh (2009, bronze) and Vikas Krishan (2011, bronze).

Vikas, who lost in the quarterfinals of the Doha event, was the next best-placed Indian at sixth in the 75kg middleweight division.

The Asian Championships silver-medallist is fighting in a category which Vijender made his own before turning professional earlier this year.

Satish Kumar, who was also a quarterfinalist in Doha, took the seventh spot in the rankings for super heavyweight (+91kg) boxers.

Another Asian Championships silver-medallist, L Devendro Singh, occupies the 13th spot in the 49kg category. The youngster from Manipur lost in the second round of the world meet following a cut above his right eye. He has 550 points in his kitty.

Former Asian gold-medallist Sumit Sangwan, who has been laid low by injury, was placed 18th in the 81kg division with 450 points. Manoj Kumar also occupies the 18th spot in the light welterweight 64kg list.

Gaurav Bhiduri, who created a flutter by notching up some good wins in the World Series of Boxing's season gone by, is placed 37th in the 52kg category.

In the 69kg category, former Asian silver-medallist Mandeep Jangra held the 58th position.

READ MORE

Shiva Thapa wins Bronze, Loses Olympic Quota Box-Off

8:41 AM

•

sports news

A bronze medal in his kitty, Indian boxer Shiva Thapa could not add the Olympic quota place to it despite a valiant effort in a hard-fought box-off of the World Championships in Doha.

Shiva (56kg), who became only the third Indian ever to clinch a medal at the mega-event after Vijender Singh (2009) and Vikas Krishan (2011), went down to Belarus' Dzmitry Asanau despite a dominating performance.

"We were expecting this bout to go our way. Shiva fought very well and it is unfortunate that he lost this bout," national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said.

The 21-year-old from Assam, the only one from the six-member contingent to be left in reckoning for the Olympic berth, was on the offensive from the very first bell, daring his rival with an open guard.
Besides his very accurate left hook, the Indian also used his right jabs to good effect. However, despite combining his blows with lucid foot movement, which helped him dodge Asanau effectively, the Indian did not find favour with the judges.

Shiva thapa Bronze in world Boxing Championship 2015.

The 19-year-old Asanau, a European Games silver-medallist, continued his defensive approach in the second round and did not come on the front foot even once. However, the approach found favour with judges yet again and he nosed ahead 2-0.

In the final three minutes, Shiva attacked with all his might and put Asanau under pressure with his aggressive approach.

However, Shiva aggression could not trump Asanau's defensive tactics and the judges unanimously awarded the bout to the Belarussian.

India thus ended their campaign with one bronze medal but failed to secure a single Olympic quota place.

Source ndtv

READ MORE

Shiva Thapa wins gold medal at Doha International boxing tournament

10:33 AM

•

sports news

Indian Gorkha boxer Shiva Thapa (56kg), won the gold medal at the Doha International boxing tournament by beating Egypt's HYM Abdelaal 2-1. L Devendro Singh,  Manish Kaushik and Manoj Kumar also have won the Gold medals for India, while Mandeep Jangra and Vikas Krishan bagged bronze medals.

 Shiva Thapa after winning Gold at the Doha International boxing tournament Listening National Anthem

The Indian boxers have performed exceptionally well in the tournament, which was a test event ahead of the World Championships scheduled in October.

READ MORE

Indian Gorkha Shiva Thapa enter the second round in Asian Games

9:59 AM

•

sports news

Comeback-man Akhil Kumar (60kg) pummelled his Nepalese rival Purna Bahadur Lama before notching up a Technical Knockout triumph while Indian Gorkha Shiva Thapa (56kg) merely had to show up to enter the second round as Indian boxers began their Asian Games campaign on a winning note here today.

Pugilist Shiva Thapa is declared winner during preliminaries
of the men's 56kg category boxing event
 at the 17th Asian Games. (PTI Photo)

Shiva was the first to step into the ring this afternoon and he did not have to do anything more as his opponent, Leonel Helo Prada of Timor Leste, gave him a walkover.

Akhil, a former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, was the next man in for India in the second half of the day and the 33-year-old showed no signs of rustiness while getting past Lama.

The Haryana-lad, who was returning to international competition after three years of injury-forced hibernation, was dominant from the word go.

With his trademark open guard, the Indian went after his overtly cautious rival, who looked hesitant in attack and equally unsure in defence.

The opening round ended with Akhil leading Lama 30-24 after shaking him up with a flurry of uppercuts, targetting the Nepalese's torso.

Lama faced the standing eight count twice during the opening three minutes itself.

The second round followed a similar script with Lama looking even more intimidated by his experienced rival. The Nepalese boxer faced one more standing eight count before Akhil sealed it 30-25.

It was halfway into the final three minutes when the referee decided that Lama had taken enough of a pounding and stopped the contest declaring Akhil the winner in a Technical Knockout.

Source:TOI

READ MORE

Shiva Thapa Ready For 17th Incheon Asian Games

10:05 PM

•

sports news

In the recent Commonwealth Games, as many as four Indian boxers went very close to glory. However, no one could rise up and cross the final hurdle. The Glasgow haul was modest considering India’s track record in the sport and one of the pugilists who had a disappointing trip was Shiva Thapa. The highly-rated boxer from Guwahati was ousted early in the tournament, but Shiva is ready to put that behind him and go for gold in 17th Incheon Asian Games.

Shiva Thapa (right) in action during the 2012 London Olympics

“I always strive to be the best and go for gold, wherever I fight. I was unlucky in Glasgow to have drawn an Olympic bronze medallist in the last 16. But I’m positive about my chances in Incheon. I’ve trained hard and looking forward to the challenge,” Shiva, who started boxing at the tender age of seven, told TNIE.

With just a week to go ahead of the Asiad test, the World No 3 revealed that they have had a big shift in their training regime. “We are concentrating on speed training. The quality is much higher. The duration of sparring and bouts have been shortened. We time our fights according to competition rules. The entire session has been fast-paced,” Shiva explained.

From clinching a silver medal in the Youth Olympics (2010) to graduating into the youngest pugilist to represent India in the London Olympics, the 20-year-old has built up a solid reputation. Last year in July, Shiva became the youngest Indian to bag gold at the Asian Boxing Championship at Amman, Jordan. Whenever there is an international event, many consider him to be a medal prospect but Shiva is not daunted by the expectations. “I know it can go against me. But I feel the fans have those expectation because they believe I can fulfill it. They have given me so much love. I’m fortunate to represent them and the country,” Shiva said.

Despite his impressive rise, the pugnacious fighter is not taking the Asian Games for granted. He is the top-ranked Asian but will be challenged by boxers from Kazakhstan, Japan and Mongolia. “Boxing is a combat sport where opponents can make you work really hard to get a win. A match can turn on its head in the last 10 seconds. A punch in the end could cost you the contest,” Shiva assessed.

After the headgear was banned, the boxers have had to make a few adjustments to their game. Shiva said it has its advantages and also concedes it can be quite dangerous. “The visibility without the headgear is much better. You can spot those dangerous hooks but the drawback is that you have a bigger chance of getting cuts because of head butts. One has to watch out for that,” he said.

In the last outing in Guangzhou, Indian boxers had bagged nine medals (2 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze).

Source: Indian Express

READ MORE