Neelam Hooda remembers the night when her daughter, Parveen Hooda, was handed a 22-month ban by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for three Whereabouts Failures in 2024, months before the Paris Olympics, for which she had bagged the quota. It was also a period when Neelam’s husband, Lakhpat Hooda, was suffering from stage-three throat cancer, and the conversation at home was about how to get past the hurdles.On Friday, 26-year-old Parveen won gold in the women’s 65kg final in a 3-2 split decision against Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei. Her mother, Neelam, recalled that conversation and the resilience shown by her daughter in the face of adversity.Click here to read our Asian Games full coverageThe victory was more than a medal for Parveen. It marked her return to the Asian Games podium and underlined just how far she had come since the ban ended.“When Parveen’s Olympic dream was over, she would often be devastated that it was her chance to win a medal at the Olympics. In 2023, my husband had suffered from throat cancer, and when the ban came in 2024, he was still undergoing chemotherapy. I would tell Parveen that if it’s written in her destiny to win an Olympic medal or other medals, nobody can stop her. Some of the family friends would also talk about how cancer takes lives, but then she would be the one to boost our morale. The time at home also meant that she would often recite Hanuman Chalisa, and it helped her to calm her mind during that phase. Her father healed from cancer fully last year, and this gold medal in the Asian Games has rejuvenated Parveen’s career too,” shares mother Neelam Hooda while speaking with The Indian Express.Father Lakhpat Hooda also shared how the cancer treatment was not a burden for the family, with Parveen managing things. “She is now an Assistant Sub-Inspector in ITBP, and the medical card meant that the treatment cost was almost nil. The 6-7 lakhs, which we had to spend on other medical things too, was spent by Parveen,” shares the father.It was the then sarpanch and coach Sudhir Hooda who hired some boxing coaches at the Shaheed Baitun Singh Stadium.“Parveen did not tell me initially about her going to the boxing training. She would go and sit at the stadium to watch the trainees train. I had told her not to go boxing as she would suffer injuries on her face and body and who would marry her if her face was broken. She would later sneak to train boxing and seeing her dedication and talk with the coaches, we understood that sports will make her life,” shares Neelam.Story continues below this adThe youngster became the state sub-junior champion in 2011 before winning the sub-junior national title the same year. Hooda became the 54kg national youth champion, in addition to winning her maiden international medal, a silver at the Youth Nations Cup in Serbia.“Prior to going to the national camp, we would borrow money from friends and relatives to get her boxing gloves as well as shoes and training needs. We would also sell the milk of the family buffalo to support the finances. I was doing a job as a supervisor at that time but the earnings were not that much,” says father Lakhpat Hooda.Hooda won the SAF Games title in 2019 before taking bronze at the 2022 Worlds and winning the Asian Championships. She then dropped to 57kg and won bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games, earning the Paris Olympics quota.The resurgenceWith the ban ending in May last year, Parveen won gold in 60kg at the BFI Cup before winning the 60kg title at the World Boxing Cup in New Delhi in December last year, with a win over World Championships silver medallist Aneta Elzibeta.Story continues below this adIn Glasgow CWG, Parveen lost 2-3 to Sacha Hickey of England in the 65kg quarter-final.In Japan, Parveen beat 2025 World Championships silver medallist Navbakhor Khamidova 5-0 before a 5-0 semifinal win over China’s Li Shu.Coach Anil Malik, who has been training Parveen at the NCOE, Rohtak, speaks about the move from 57kg to 65kg in the space of three years.“We had to work on her straight as well, how to use that strength with the tactical acumen and motor ability required in 60 and then 65kg. The opponents too have more power in 65kg, and it is crucial to land clear punches as well as evade the heavier punches with one’s foot movement. The focus was more on training for more clear punches,” shares Malik.Story continues below this adIndian women’s foreign head coach Santiago Nieva had also spoken about Parveen’s strength in the 65kg weight division.“Parveen’s back right hand, as well as the combination of the straight jab coupled with her left hook, works well for her. She is a long-range boxer, and this weight division suits her tactics more,” Nieva had said.—