Sporting events often produce memorable moments beyond the competition itself, with some stories continuing to be remembered long after the final bell. Indian boxer Narender Berwal recently shared one such anecdote from his career, leaving Prime Minister Narendra Modi in splits.
Berwal, who returned from the Commonwealth Games 2026 with a silver medal, shared the story during a felicitation ceremony at Prime Minister Modi's residence. He recalled an incident from 2015, when he faced a Pakistani boxer at the World Military Games.
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The bout came against the backdrop of tense political relations between India and Pakistan. Berwal said he had been told by the Indian military not to lose the contest, given the ongoing border conflicts between the two countries.
"Since we were talking about Pakistan, a story came to my mind, sir. It was the 2015 World Military Games, and my first fight was scheduled against a boxer from Pakistan. Because it was the Military Games, I received calls from officials telling me, 'You must not lose to Pakistan,'" he revealed.
Berwal eventually won the bout. However, the contest left both fighters with cuts on their faces, forcing them to visit a hospital together for treatment.
"I won the first round 4-1 and the second round 3-2, but both of us got cuts. I won the fight, and afterwards, we both went to the hospital to get stitches."
Berwal continued: "In 2014, you [referring to PM Modi] became the Prime Minister for the first time. The army coach who was with us was named Narendra Rana. The Pakistani boxer thought about it for a while and then said to me, 'Brother, can I say something?' I said, 'Yes, go ahead.'"
The Pakistani boxer then remarked: "Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai" ("Your name is Narender, your coach's name is Narender, and your Prime Minister's name is Narendra. I have started to hate the name Narendra"). As Berwal shared the story, PM Modi could not hold back his laughter.
It was at the hospital that the sporting rivalry gave way to a lighter moment, as Berwal and his Pakistani opponent got into a humorous conversation. While recounting the exchange years later, Berwal had PM Modi laughing during the interaction.
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The anecdote offered a lighter glimpse into the bond that can emerge between athletes despite the wider tensions surrounding their countries.
During the felicitation ceremony, PM Modi also held one-on-one conversations with several athletes. He praised their contributions to taking India's sporting journey to new heights and celebrated their performances on the international stage.
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