The famed one horned Rhino was unveiled as the official mascot of the 2017 AIBA Youth Women's World Boxing Championship in a glittering ceremony on Monday.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh also released the championship’s official logo and anthem, to mark the countdown for India’s first youth world boxing championship from November 19 to 26.
The Chief Minister was particularly keen that the boxers and the visiting dignitaries experienced the rich cultural and aesthetic heritage of Assam while also enjoying the state’s picturesque natural beauty and spectacular wildlife.
The official mascot, Guppy, is a female version of Assam’s one-horned rhino. The logo infuses two key elements: the strength of an Indian woman in the form of a female boxer and the culture of Assam through the ‘gamosa’, a much-cherished hand-woven piece of cloth in the state.
The World Championship official anthem, ‘Make Some Noise’, proved to be an instant hit with those present, including the entire Indian contingent, its Performance Director Bergamasco Raffaele and head coach Bhaskar Bhatt.
The Government of Assam has upgraded the infrastructure and has created a world-class arena, top of the line changing and locker rooms and a modern gymnasium, including increased sitting capacity among other things.
The 20-member strong Indian squad was also felicitated at the ceremony.
“These young women are our future world champions. They have trained very hard and I am confident that they will make the country proud,' BFI President Ajay Singh said.
Close to 200 participants (16-17 years) from 38 countries will be seen in action in this knockout tournament. The preliminaries will take place from November 19 to 22, the semifinals on November 24 and 25 and the finals on November 26. As many as 176 bouts in 10 different weight categories are on the cards, with 40 medals (10 Gold, 10 Silver, 20 Bronze) on the line.
The Opening Ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 19 at the Maulana Mohd. Tayebulla Hockey Stadium from 4.30 PM onwards.
The anthem “Make Some Noise” composed by Shaan and rendered by renowned singer Sunidhi Chauhan, has been penned keeping in mind the attributes of today’s Indian woman, who is strong, independent, ambitious, and resilient.
