Scheduled caste

Khelo India University Games: They come from different backgrounds but share the same dream -- of representing the country at the Continental level. Bharti from Haryana and Devika Satyajit Ghorpade are prime examples of this.

During the boxing event of the 2025 Khelo India University Games (KIUG) in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, Bharti represented Maharshi Dayanand University, Haryana, in the women’s minimum (45-48kg) category and hauled in a silver, while Devika Satyajit Ghorpade represented Savitribai Phule Pune University, Maharashtra in the women’s fly 52kg and captured a gold as expected.

Both athletes come from very different socio-economic backgrounds. 23-year-old Bharti’s father does labour work at a brick factory, earning Rs 250-300 per day. Devika’s father, on the other hand, has his own company in the construction business.