Indian boxer Narender Berwal left Prime Minister Narendra Modi laughing after recalling a memorable exchange with a Pakistani opponent from the 2015 World Military Games.
Berwal shared the story during a felicitation ceremony at the Prime Minister’s residence following his silver-medal performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Recalling the 2015 bout, Berwal said he had been urged by Indian military officials not to lose against his Pakistani opponent.
“You must not lose to Pakistan,” Berwal recalled being told before the fight.
Berwal defeated Pakistani opponent in 2015
Berwal said he won the bout after taking the first round 4-1 and the second round 3-2. Both boxers suffered cuts during the contest and later went to a hospital together for stitches.
It was during that visit that the Indian boxer said his opponent made an unexpected comment about his name.
Berwal explained that his coach at the event was also named Narendra Rana. The boxer from Pakistan reportedly noticed that Berwal, his coach and India’s prime minister all shared the name Narendra.
‘I hate the name Narendra’: What the boxer told Berwal
According to Berwal, his Pakistani opponent told him:
“Your name is Narender, your coach’s name is Narender, and your Prime Minister’s name is Narendra.”
The boxer then jokingly added that he had started to “hate” the name Narendra.
Berwal’s account prompted laughter from PM Modi during the interaction.
PM Modi meets Commonwealth Games medal winners
The anecdote was shared during PM Modi’s interaction with Indian athletes following their Commonwealth Games campaign.
The Prime Minister held one-on-one conversations with several athletes and praised their performances and contribution to India’s sporting achievements.
Berwal’s silver medal at CWG 2026 added another notable chapter to his career, while his story from the 2015 World Military Games provided a lighter moment during the athletes’ felicitation.
