Born on June 14, 1996, in Nizamabad, Telangana, Nikhat Zareen emerged from a modest background to etch her name in the annals of Indian boxing history.
Raised in an orthodox Muslim family with three sisters, Nikhat Zareen was introduced to sports by her father Mohammad Jameel Ahmad. Having taken up running initially, Nikhat's journey took an unexpected turn when she questioned the absence of girls in boxing at a local stadium, challenging the stereotype that boxing was exclusive to boys.
Nikhat transitioned from running tracks to the boxing ring, initially training with her father. In the male-dominated local gym, she sparred with boys to hone her skills. She then joined the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Visakhapatnam, where she continued developing under the guidance of Dronacharya awardee IV Rao.
In 2009, Nikhat's talent came to the fore as she won the sub-junior national title and subsequently clinched gold at the Junior and Youth World Championships in 2011. Three years later, she would clinch another silver at the Youth World Championships.
However, Nikhat Zareen’s journey to the senior circuit was not without challenges. Competing in the flyweight (51kg) division, Nikhat faced tough competition from established names like the legendary Mary Kom and Pinki Rani. However, she was advised to move up to the 54kg due to the stiff competition in her pet weight division. Undeterred, Nikhat battled on.
Nikhat’s first senior international medal came at the 2014 Nations Cup International Boxing Tournament in Serbia, where she bagged gold. The following year, she became a national champion for the first time.
After suffering a dislocated shoulder in 2017, Nikhat made a triumphant return in 2018, winning a silver medal at the Belgrade International Championship. The following year, Nikhat shot into the limelight after challenging the Boxing Federation of India’s decision to send Mary Kom to the Asian Qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics without any trial.
Nikhat’s appeal for a trial fight was finally granted but ended up losing the bout. While Nikhat didn’t make it to Tokyo 2020, she proved her worth in the following years with a series of successes at the highest level.
Nikhat Zareen's crowning moment came at the 2022 women's boxing world championships in Istanbul. She dominated her opponents and clinched the gold medal with a win against Jutamas Jitpong of Thailand. The triumph made her only the fifth Indian boxer after Mary Kom, Laishram Sarita Devi, Jenny RL and Lekha KC to become world champion.
In 2023, Nikhat successfully defended her world championship crown in New Delhi, solidifying her status as the boxer to beat in the flyweight division. With the win, she also became the only other Indian after Mary Kom to win gold at the world championships multiple times.
Nikhat Zareen also won gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham in what was her CWG debut.
Continuing her impressive run, Nikhat Zareen secured a bronze at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou - her maiden appearance at the continental event. Her performance not only earned her a podium finish but also secured India a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
With Mary Kom’s career slowly drawing to a close, Nikhat Zareen has already proved herself worthy to be the next flag-bearer of Indian boxing.