‘Mukka-e-Punjab’ documents seven decades of Punjab’s boxing history, forgotten fighters and Olympians

A new book tracing Punjab’s boxing journey from its early competitions to national champions and Olympians has been released, with its author saying the project seeks to preserve a sporting history that has remained scattered across old records and memories for decades.

Mukka-e-Punjab, written by former boxing coach Jaswant Singh, documents prominent boxers, coaches and major milestones in the development of the sport in Punjab.

Jaswant, who spent about seven-and-a-half years with the Sports Authority of India before serving in boxing through Punjab University, said the idea for the book emerged from questions about when organised boxing actually began in Punjab.

During his more than three decades in the sport, he said, he often received conflicting accounts from senior players and coaches.

That prompted him to search old documents and records instead of relying solely on oral accounts.

“Whatever I have written is not based merely on what somebody told me. I tried to locate records and old documents so that the history could be presented with facts,” Jaswant said.

According to his research, a boxing competition was held at Arya College in Ludhiana in 1955 with 16 participants. The number doubled to 32 the following year, after which organised boxing gradually expanded to other centres in Punjab.

The book also profiles athletes who progressed beyond national-level competition and records the struggles behind their achievements.

Jaswant said he had tried to distinguish genuine national and international achievements rather than exaggerating sporting records.

Punjab Sports University Vice-Chancellor Dr Pushpinder Singh Gill praised the initiative, saying Jaswant’s long experience in the field had allowed him to document not only athletes but also changes in training and the development of boxing over the years.

Olympian and Arjuna Award recipient Simranjit Kaur said younger athletes needed access to such history.

“The new generation should know where Punjab’s boxing journey started and which players contributed to taking it forward,” she said.

Jaswant said improved government facilities alone could not produce champions and that coaches and athletes needed to match institutional support with commitment.

“If every coach sincerely takes responsibility for preparing even five children, imagine how many good players Punjab can produce,” he said.

His message to young athletes was simple: “Work hard. Hard work always gives results.”