Indian heavyweight boxer Narender Berwal shared a memorable anecdote with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his bout against a Pakistani boxer at the 2015 World Military Games. Recalling the conversation, Berwal told Modi how his victory over the Pakistani opponent led to an unusual comment that stayed with him.
"Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai'..."Narender recalled leaving the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in splits.
The remark came after Berwal defeated the Pakistani boxer in their heavyweight contest at the 2015 World Military Games in Mungyeong, South Korea. Berwal narrated the incident directly to PM Modi while recounting his experiences representing India.
The 2015 World Military Games bout was one of the notable early international contests in Berwal’s career. His victory over the Pakistani opponent added another layer to what became a memorable sporting encounter beyond the result itself.
Berwal has since gone on to win medals for India at major international competitions, including a silver at the Commonwealth Games.
The PM heard from the medallists about their experiences building up to the Commonwealth Games and during their stay in Glasgow during a meeting at his residence on Sunday. It was also attended by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P T Usha.
