Knocking the gender boundaries out to put the spotlight on sheer talent

Priyanka Chopra earned global appreciation for her impeccable performance in the movie ‘Mary Kom,’ based on the life of the celebrated boxer and Olympic medalist Mary Kom. Her performance is unquestionably laudable, but the woman who trained her in boxing also merits equal commendation.

National-level boxer and fitness trainer Jeeth Sanghavi was training in the national boxing camp when she received the opportunity to train Priyanka Chopra for the movie. She was busy practising for an international tournament when the crew and the Indian chief coach approached her with the offer, but she decided to take them up on the offer. It marked the beginning of her career as a celebrity fitness trainer.

Since fitness training was not her strong suit, she was determined to acquire substantial knowledge about the profession. She completed a master’s degree in health and fitness from Edith Cowan University, Australia. After returning to India, she allied with the Snap Fitness chain of gyms as a fitness director. She reminisces about being looked down on by male trainers due to her gender.

Jeeth eventually instituted her fitness studio, named Boxx Era. She is passionate about helping people with acute medical conditions to ameliorate their health. She operates several programmes at Boxx Era, such as cross-fit, boxing, and sports-specific training. Jeeth also launched a Transformation Clinic, the first-ever in India, which involves darkroom training and nutrition plans.

Photo credit: Jeeth Sanghavi Facebook profile