New Delhi, August 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Fresh from winning gold at the Asian Boxing Championships, Indian boxer Preeti Pawar is turning to quilling and calligraphy to keep herself mentally relaxed as she prepares for the upcoming Asian Games.
For Preeti, creative artwork provides a welcome break from the intensity of competitive boxing and helps her avoid overthinking during high-pressure tournaments.
“Yes, whenever I get time, I do quilling. Before going to the Commonwealth Games, we had a training camp in Belfast. Whenever I was free, I did quilling. I made a poster for Shri Bhaiyya with quilling. He liked it a lot. I have made a lot of posters for my teammates as well,” she said.
The boxer considers the detailed craft more than a pastime, describing it as a way to mentally disconnect from sport.
“I like doing quilling and calligraphy. It diverts my mind from sports for a while. I think it is important to divert yourself for a while. I personally feel that if we think too much, overthinking is not good. Quilling helps me to maintain pressure and feel relaxed,” she added.
Her artwork has also been a way of appreciating fellow athletes. Inspired by high jumper Tejaswin Shankar’s comeback after a serious injury, Preeti created a special piece for him.
“He made a strong comeback. I wanted to make something for him. He was very happy when I gave it to him. He shared a lot of things with me. How he made his comeback and his mindset. I was very inspired by his story,” she said.
Alongside her mental preparation, Preeti follows a meticulous routine to manage the physical demands of boxing, particularly weight cuts. She said reducing around 1.5 kg before a bout can be challenging and that nutrition and rehydration immediately after the weigh-in are crucial.
“Weight cutting is definitely a challenge, though I have been doing this for a long time. The most important thing is what we eat before the bout. At the last moment, after cutting weight, we don’t eat anything until weigh-in. Rehydrating properly right after is crucial so that performance isn’t affected,” she explained.
With only around three hours sometimes separating an early-morning weigh-in from a bout, Preeti prepares her routine in advance.
“I make a bout plan the day before. On match day, after cutting weight by 6:30 AM and completing weigh-in, I rehydrate around 7:00 AM and take proper nutrition. If time permits, I take a quick nap before heading to the arena. I also like to visualise the bout beforehand—it really helps me mentally,” she said.
Preeti will now work with her coaches at upcoming training camps to sharpen her tactics as she targets another major medal at the Asian Games.
Assessing the competition in Asia, she said the tournament would be demanding given the strength of boxing across the continent. However, her recent Asian Championships gold has given her valuable experience ahead of the Games.
“I think it’s tough; there are a lot of good countries in Asia that are doing well in boxing. But I think the Asian Championship was held last March, and I won a gold medal there. It was a great experience for me and for the Asian Games as well,” she said.
“Mostly the same countries will participate in the Asian Games, and I think I will meet the same opponents there. Next, I will discuss with the coaches what areas I want to work on and what will be our game plan for the Asian Games. We will discuss that in the training camp,” she added.
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