Dingko loses bout to cancer
Delhi, 10: Asian Games gold medalwinning former boxer Dingko Singh, who inspired a generation of Indian pugilists with his swashbuckling ring craft and flamboyant personality, died on Thursday after a long battle with liver cancer.
He was 42 and had been fighting the disease since 2017. He is survived by his wife Babai Ngangom, a son and a daughter.
During his battle with cancer, the former bantamweight (54kg) boxer’s health woes were compounded by a bout of jaundice and Covid-19 last year. “We lost a legend,” Olympic-bound boxer Vikas Krishan said summing up what he meant to Indian boxing.
Dingko’s gold in the Bangkok Asiad was the first in 16 years for Indian boxing after Kaur Singh’s top finish at the regional showpiece’s 1982 edition.
“Dingko Singh passing away is an irreplaceable loss for Indian Boxing. He was an inspiration to a generation of boxers and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations,” Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh said
“In this hour of grief and loss, the Boxing family
stands in solidarity with his wife and family and pray for the departed soul,” he added.
The Manipuri superstar, who won his maiden national title (sub-junior) as a 10-year-old, was among the first modern stars of Indian boxing with his Asian Games gold and inspired the likes of six-time world champion M.C. Mary Kom among others. A fearless competitor in the ring, Dingko beat two Olympic medallists — Sontaya Wongprates of Thailand and Timur Tulyakov of Uzbekistan — en route to the Asian Games gold medal in Bangkok, which was a remarkable feat for an Indian boxer at that time.