Bhiwani's golden girls: How a Haryana village is celebrating its Commonwealth boxing heroes
In Dhanana village, Haryana's Bhiwani district, a house stands out among the unplastered brick walls. A spacious kothi with a temple spire in its courtyard is being readied for a homecoming. Two days after the Commonwealth Games concluded in Glasgow, Scotland, the village is preparing to welcome Sakshi Chaudhary, a gold medallist in boxing.
The excitement is palpable inside the baithak. Sakshi's father, Manoj Dhanda, a farmer, is on the phone, trying to finalise a Haryana cabinet minister for the felicitation. Friends and neighbours are making arrangements: 500 chairs for elders, ladoos, jalebis, hot tea, coffee, and paneer pakoras for all. A brick kiln owner, Kaptan Ghanghas, is coordinating 150 banners along the 20-kilometre route from Bhiwani city to Dhanana. Hundreds of motorcycles, tractors, and cars are being arranged for the procession, and invitations have been sent to 84 khap panchayats.
The celebrations are not for one, but two gold medallists from the same village. Sakshi Chaudhary (51 kg) and Priya Ghanghas (60 kg) are among four women from Bhiwani who won gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The others are Preeti Sai Pawar (54 kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg). Bhiwani, often called India's Mini Cuba of boxing, has once again proven its sporting prowess.
For Sakshi, the journey to this moment began 14 years ago. At the age of 12, she was spotted at a Haryana government talent identification programme. Her father recalls that she scored a perfect 21 out of 21. "At the time, every youngster in Bhiwani wanted to become the next Vijender Singh," he says. "Sakshi too caught the boxing bug."
Boxing changed her life. Now a Havaldar in the Indian Army, Sakshi delivered one of the finest performances of her career in Glasgow. In the 51-kg final against England's Ruby White, she dominated all three rounds with composure and aggression, ending her opponent's unbeaten streak of 68 fights.
"We spoke to Sakshi a day before the final," Manoj says. "She told us she would give it her best shot. We watched every second of the bout. When the referee raised her hand, what we felt is beyond words."
Her mother, Sheila, sitting quietly with her face veiled, says following her daughter's career has taught her about boxing. "I know terms like knockout, uppercut, and hook," she says shyly. Sheila has her own history with sport. As a teenager, she played kabaddi. Her father's friend, wrestler Chandgi Ram, had tried to convince her family to let her take up wrestling, but they did not agree. Today, she feels her unfulfilled sporting dream has been realised through her daughter.
The village's mood is summed up by Wazir Singh, a former serviceman involved in the arrangements: "Our daughters are our VIPs."
