NEW DELHI: August 26, 2008, Akhil Kumar sounded like a brash young man when he spoke up for his fellow-boxers demanding clearance of South African physio Matthew Heath for the Beijing Olympics। His argument was that when people with no chance of winning a medal could go with their entourage, why not the boxers who have the potential to do well.
Still, Akhil remained an unsung hero। "Don't forget me If I fail to win a medal," was his parting shot before boarding the flight. Medal or no medal, he is highly popular among his peers.
He might have missed the medal he promised to his Bhiwani folk by a whisker, yet Akhil was given a hero's welcome on his return home from the Olympics early Tuesday।
Huge garlands drowning his neck, Akhil's homecoming reception at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport was as grand as that for India's first Olympic gold winner Abhinav Bindra। The boxer with his zeal had won the hearts of the masses and that was evident by the huge turnout of his admirers.
Akhil, along with bronze winners Vijender Singh and Jitender Kumar, put Bhiwani on the boxing map with their quarter-final appearance at the Olympics। Akhil failed to cross the next hurdle but his heroics in the ring fetched him the fame he longed for all his life.
More important, he came to be known as the "friend, philosopher and guide" of Vijender and Jitender, both of whom fought for Akhil after he lost his bout. They like his transparent sincerity and outspokenness.
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