I remember the day vividly. January 31, 1980 was a golden day in my life. We were at Nehru Stadium in Madras and I got into the ring with boxing legend Muhammad Ali for one round.
I was 22 years old. I dodged the punch that Ali gave. What a day it was! Later, Ali told the media that I was a promising boxer. Even though I had won State-level championships thrice (1979, 1980, 1981), it was this incident that brought me to the forefront. And most importantly, it got me a job in Southern Railway in the sports quota. I joined on April 7, 1980, for a basic salary of ₹ 232.
I was born and raised in Royapuram. My father was a traffic constable and mother a homemaker. My mom especially was worried about me and my future, because I was born during Raagukaalam (October 13, 1957, between 4 pm and 6 pm; believed to be an inauspicious time.) Although we belonged to the Anglo-Indian community, she was familiar with Hindu customs.
CHENNAI :25/10/2017 : FOR METROPLUS : Rocky Boss,Gaurd,southern Railway. Photo: K. Pichumani
To add to her woes, I took three years each to complete Class VIII and IX, at St George’s Higher Secondary School, and later I discontinued my education. Needless to say, she was happy when I became a successful boxer and later got a job in the Railways.
I was in love with my school junior, Georgina, who also happened to be another boxer’s sister. They lived on the same street as I did. We were married on December 29, 1983.
I believe that my wife brought me loads of luck. Soon after the wedding, I got my first promotion as Ticket Collector. Later in 1988, I got another promotion and became a goods guard. In 1994, I became a senior passenger guard, and today I am retiring as Mail Express Guard.
I take immense pride, as I have played a significant role in train and passenger safety. I have also won three awards from the Railways. In 1983, I got an award for outstanding performance in sports. Later in 2007 and in 2014, I was given the safety award.
In 2007, at Veppappampattu station, a college boy was hit by a train. The student community sat on the tracks and did not allow any train to pass through. When my train reached that station, I got down and spoke to them, convincing them to clear the tracks. I told them that we can take the injured boy to the Government General Hospital (GH) as my train was Central-bound. They agreed, and we transported the boy to GH, and the issue was solved amicably. This news was published in all the major newspapers. The next day, Balasubramanian, under whom I underwent training at the Zonal Training School, Tiruchi, who read this news, immediately recommended my name for the safety award. And in 2014, I was given another award, as I averted an accident near Royapuram bridge.
Now that I will have a lot of free time post retirement, I want to go back to the boxing ring. Even while I was working, I had coached many youngsters at my Crusaders Boxing Club (9841785919), Perambur. And two of my students, G Selvam and Lakshmi Kanth, joined the Railways under the sports quota. Another student, Maria Theodore, has joined The Port Trust. I regret not coaching Mary Kom when her mother offered to bring her to Chennai to be coached by me almost a decade ago. My friend Glen’s wife and Mary Kom’s mother were sisters. At that time, I did not have the time to coach her for the Olympics, as I wanted to focus on my job. But today, I really wish I had taken the offer, which was made during one of our Christmas dinners.
I plan to revive my club, and train and coach passionate boxers. In the Anglo-Indian community, there aren’t many role models. We were many in number until the 70s in the Indian Railways, but today only a handful of us are left. I think there is one other Anglo-Indian guard in the Southern Railway from the Anglo-Indian community based in Tiruchi, but I am the last Anglo-Indian guard to retire in Chennai.
I would like to be the voice of the community, which is spread across the globe. Boxing has been my passion, and it was this sport that gave me life, a career and my wife. I want to find life through boxing once again.
(As told to
Chitradeepa Anantharam)
