Indian Amateur Boxing Federation - A Brief History
     Bombay could well be said to be the home of Indian Amateur Boxing if only for that the city was the first in the country to conduct the sport on an organised basis, through the formation of the Bombay Presidency Amateur Boxing Federation in 1925. And again it was primarily through the efforts of this body that the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation came into being in 1949.
     The birth of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation was mainly due to the efforts of Mr. H.V.Pointon who was the President of the Bombay Presidency Amateur Boxing federation from 1944 TO 1948. Unfortunately, he had left India when the Federation was finally founded on 25th February 1949. Major F.G.Baker filled the role of Convenor-Secretary at the Inaugural Meeting of the Federation held at the Governor's Pavilion of the Cricket Club of India. Mr.Oscar H.Brown, C.I.E., O.B.E,Bar-at-Law, who was the Chairman of this meeting and who was also the President of the Bombay Presidency Amateur Boxing federation was duly elected as the first President of the Indian Amateur Boxing federation. Major Baker was elected as the Secretary of the IABF at this meeting.
     The first office of the IABF was established at 62, Majestic Hotel in Bombay and a glance at the 1949 list of office-bearers shows that Bombay formed the nucleus of that body.
President of Honour His Excellency Raja Maharaj Singh, Governor of Bombay
President Oscar H.Brown, C.I.E. , O.B.E. , Bar-at-Law ( Bombay)
Vice President Dr.P.V.Cherian (Madras)
  E.C.Edulji (C.P. & Berar)
  Percy Vakil (Gujarat)
Honorary Secretary & Treasurer Major F.G.Baker (Bombay)
Honorary Joint Secretary K.J. Dubash, J.P ( Bombay)
     The first ever National Championship were held at the Brabourne Stadium in Bombay in March 1950.
     The Bengal Amateur Boxing federation played a major role in the early years of the IABF and some of the better boxers during that period came from their region. Unfortunately, the BABF did not take part in the inaugural meeting of the IABF as it was not sufficiently apprised with the details of it. The parent body in West Bengal obviously resented it as it was not sufficiently represented Especially that in the previous year 1948 it was entrusted by the Indian Olympic Association to conduct the trials to select the Indian team for the Olympics in London.
     In the first two years the IABF had only eight states as affiliated members. These were Bombay, Madras, C.P & Berar, Gujarat, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Hyderabad, Madhya Pradesh, Railways and Airways.
     The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation's history of 52 years involves a past which is something to be proud of. 48 years of Senior national championships, 35 of Junior & 15 of Sub-Juniors, participation in meets winning many International laurels including Asia's Best Boxer award ..... Arjuna, Dronacharya and two Padmashree Awards.
Role of Honour
Year Presidents Secretary's
1949 Oscar H. Brown (Bombay) Maj. F. G. Baker
1952 Oscar H. Brown (Bombay) Terry Adams
1958 Dr. Amarnath Mookherjee (Bengal) P. Mishra (Bengal)
1967 Ashok Chatterjee (Bengal) P. Mishra (Bengal)
1972 Ashok Chatterjee (Bengal) Rex Regal (Bengal)
1976 Bharatana Pillai (Kerala) D. N. Devine Jones (Services)
1980 K. Mattoo (Bihar) D. N. Devine Jones (Services)
1985 A. K. Mattoo (Bihar) A. D. Adajania (Maharashtra)
1989 A. D. Adajania (Maharashtra) A. Gangopadhyay (Assam Rifles)
1993 A. K. Mattoo (Bihar) A. Gangopadhyay (Bengal)
1997 A. K. Mattoo (Bihar) Rajesh Bhandari (Himachal)
2001 Abhay Singh Chautala, MLA (Haryana) Rajesh Bhandari (Himachal)
2005 Abhay Singh Chautala, MLA (Haryana) Col. P. K. Muralidharan Raja(Services)
2009 Abhay Singh Chautala, MLA (Haryana) Rajesh Bhandari (Himachal)
2012 Abhishek Matoria, MLA (Rajasthan) Rajesh Bhandari (Himachal)
2017 Abhishek Matoria, MLA (Rajasthan) Rakesh Thakran (Haryana)
 

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