Lalitpur, January 25

An 18-member Nepali boxing team, including 12 players, is on Saturday leaving for India to participate in the Indian Open International Boxing Tournament slated for January 28 to February 2 in New Delhi.

Prem Chaudhary will take part in the 49kg weight category, while Bhupendra Thapa will compete in 52kg section. Bhupendra Thapa (64kg), Bishnu Prasad Ghale (69kg), Manohar Basnet (81kg) and Aashish Dawadi (above-91kg) will take part in the men’s section bouts.

Likewise, Lalita Maharjan (48kg), Mala Rai (54kg), Sangita Sunar Mala Rai (60kg), Poonam Rawal Mala Rai (64kg) and Saraswoti Rana Mala Rai (75kg) will compete in women’s section bouts.

Chief Coach Prakash Thapa Magar, coaches Dambar Dutta Bhatta and Deepak Maharjan, team managers Ram Bahadur Giri and Dilipa Shree Adhikari along with sports journalist Nishan Rai will accompany the players to India.

National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista bade farewell to the team today.

Meanwhile, Nepal Boxing Association President Ram Awale, General Secretary Sabin Bhattacharya and Member Shyam Awale left for Dubai to participate in the extraordinary congress of International Boxing Association.