New Delhi

India's star boxer and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen has undergone knee surgery in Mumbai and is recovering and hoping to stage a comeback.

She shared on her social media and revealed that after battling knee pain for the past several months, her surgery was finally successful. She is now focused on her recovery and expressed confidence that she will return to the ring stronger than before.

Nikhat Zareen shared an emotional message on her official Instagram account, saying that life's challenges can't stop her. The past few months have been physically and mentally demanding, but now her new journey has begun.

Nikhat wrote in her social media post, Life threw me a curveball, but I’m choosing to come back stronger. The past few months have been tough, dealing with a knee pain that eventually led to surgery. Recovery starts now, one step at a time, with patience, faith and determination.  A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, the entire team at Kokilaben Hospital and my sponsor Reliance Foundation Youth Sports for their incredible care and support. I believe Allah is preparing me for something greater. This is just a pause, not the end. I’ll be back soon. Stronger than ever."

Life threw me a curveball, but I’m choosing to come back stronger. 🙌🏻

The past few months have been tough, dealing with a knee pain that eventually led to surgery. Recovery starts now, one step at a time, with patience, faith and determination. 😇

A heartfelt thank you to Dr.… pic.twitter.com/wti5NznAzz

— Nikhat Zareen (@nikhat_zareen) July 17, 2026

Nikhat's message was highly inspiring to the sports world and her fans. Thousands of people on social media wished her a speedy recovery and a successful comeback.

In her post, Nikhat Zareen offered special thanks to Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, a senior doctor at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, and his entire medical team. She said the doctors and hospital staff provided her with excellent care.

Apart from this, he also expressed his gratitude to his partner organization, Reliance Foundation Sports, which supported him at every step during his treatment and recovery.

The year 2026 has been challenging for Nikhat Zareen so far. She suffered defeat at the national selection trials held in Patiala in May. In the women's 51 kg semi-finals, Sakshi Chaudhary defeated her 4-1 , eliminating her from the final race. This defeat resulted in Nikhat missing out on a spot in the Indian team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. This was considered one of the biggest setbacks of her career.

After defeating Nikhat, Sakshi Chaudhary defeated reigning 48kg world champion Meenakshi Hooda 5-0 in the final to win the 51kg national title.

Meenakshi Hooda had earlier defeated former world champion and Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medalist Neetu Ghanghas in the semifinals. Although Meenakshi's primary category is 48 kg, this weight class is not included in the Asian Games or Commonwealth Games program. Therefore, she competed in the 51 kg category.

Nikhat Zareen is considered one of the most successful Indian women's boxers. She has brought glory to India internationally with her impressive performances.

If there is any name after Mary Kom in Indian women's boxing that comes to one's mind, it is Nikhat Zareen's.

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The two-time world champion, Hyderabad's Nikhat Zareen, has also given a new identity to women, especially Muslim women, in Indian boxing.

With her aggressive style, sharp footwork and technical prowess, Nikhat has long been one of the most trusted players in Indian boxing.