Living a Father’s Dream! How boxer Ahaana Sharma’s Story Mirrors Dangal
Ahaana won gold in 50kg category at the Asian Youth Games
Down the streets of Maujpur in Northeast Delhi resides a family straight out of a Dangal script: a father with a long-held dream of making a mark in sports, that is now being realised through his daughter and a supportive mother.
At the heart of it all is Ahaana Sharma, a young boxer competing in the 50kg category, who clinched gold at the 2025 Asian Youth Games.
Ahaana’s journey
Having grown up watching her father train, Ahaana took to fitness at a very young age, beginning with pushups and basic fitness drills.
“My father himself is a sportsperson; he is a bodybuilder, and he always wanted me to play a solo sport,” she told Khel Now in an interaction.
“Since I’m a girl, he thought I should pursue something that also teaches self-defense. Boxing was the one sport everyone was familiar with, so he felt that would be the right fit for me—a solo sport where I could make India proud.”
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As she grew older, Ahaana started powerlifting and went on to win a National Championship. It was then that her father decided that she should start pursuing boxing seriously. She was enrolled at the Swatantar Singh Boxing Academy near Akshardham.
The journey wasn’t easy at first, Ahaana recalled. “It was very hard for me to stay away during long camps. I’ve never gone anywhere without my family.”
She spoke about her recent training exposure in China and how that experience helped her during matches and also to keep pushing herself to chase her dream and her father’s.
“In the beginning, I cried a lot while video calling them [family]. But then I reminded myself why I was there, and that thought kept me going.
“We got to train with players from other countries, learn their techniques, and see how they prepare.”
Back home her mother Sakshi Sharma was emotional too.
“When she went away for her first camp, I used to feel sad. But then I told myself, if we want our child to grow, we have to be mentally strong [as parents] too,” Sakshi said.
Part of allowing Ahaana to get strong mentally also meant enduring the sight of her taking punches and bleeding, while also ignoring snide remarks that boxing could spoil her face.
“I was scared when I saw her bleeding in the ring once,” Sakshi recalled. “I asked if she wants to continue.
“She said, ‘I’ll do it, mom. The girl who punched me today—I’ll punch her back next time’. That confidence made me believe in her completely.”
Standing on the Podium
That sacrifice paid off when Ahaana finally stood atop the podium at the Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain.
She produced a dominant result in the final, forcing three standing counts to seal a first-round RSC victory over her North Korean opponent and clinch gold in the 50kg category.
“It was the proudest moment of my life,” Ahaana said. “Standing in another country, wearing that gold medal. All I wanted was to get home and show my parents that medal.”
A father’s dream and discipline
Behind Ahaana’s success stands her father Mr. Naveen Sharma. He once dreamed of making a mark in sports himself, and when life didn’t allow him to pursue that dream, he decided that his daughter would live and fulfill that dream.
“I told her, ‘You have to wake up at four in the morning, go for runs, eat properly, sleep on time, and stay away from distractions,’” he said. “We made a routine and started following it strictly.”
Naveen also emphasized that he never interfered in his daughter’s coaching. “Parents should motivate their children, not interfere,” Naveen explained. “Coaches understand the game better than we do. Our role is to support the child.
“If parents and coaches start giving different advice, the child will get confused. That’s not how champions are made.”
Mrs. Sakshi calls her husband the backbone of their family. “He is the best father, and I have always trusted his choices. Seeing Ahaana do well now, every bit of sacrifice feels worth it.”
The journey ahead
Ahaana’s story is more than just winning medals. It’s a story about grit, of how a middle-class family dared to chase a different dream, of how a daughter brought her father’s dream to life, and how a mother anchored from behind.
She will next participate in the upcoming Asian and World Junior Boxing Championships next year.
Who is Ahaana Sharma?
Ahaana Sharma is a young Indian boxer from Maujpur, Northeast Delhi, who competes in the 50kg category and won gold at the 2025 Asian Youth Games.
When did Ahaana Sharma start training in sports?
Ahaana began training at the age of four, starting with basic fitness exercises, pushups, and later moving into powerlifting and boxing.
What inspired Ahaana Sharma to take up boxing?
Her father, a bodybuilder, wanted his daughter to pursue a solo sport that also taught self-defense and boxing became the natural choice.
Which academy does Ahaana Sharma train at?
She trains at the Swatantar Singh Boxing Academy near Akshardham.
What challenges did Ahaana Sharma face during training camps?
Being away from her family was emotionally difficult. She often cried during video calls but stayed motivated by focusing on her goals.
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Anmol is a sports freelancer and writer who specializes in Olympic sports. He has been associated with Khel Now since 2023. An engineer by qualification, he holds a degree in computer science. A passionate sports enthusiast, Anmol follows almost every Olympic sports. He runs a Twitter page as well called Sports Arena and is quite active on Twitter on his ID, Anmolkakkar27, to promote sports in India. His favorite sport is badminton, and his favourite sportsperson is Saina Nehwal. An ardent supporter of Delhi-based teams across all sports leagues, Anmol also closely follows and covers parasports as well.
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