16-year-old boxer trains 75 girls in self-defence through DefendHer initiative

A self-defence initiative started by 16-year-old student and boxer Tiara Raval, an IB student, has trained over 75 girls across 26 sessions in Mumbai1 , focusing on practical defence techniques, situational awareness and confidence-building.Raval started DefendHer to make self-defence training more accessible to girls from underserved communities.The programme follows a repeated-session format rather than a one-time self-defence workshop. Participants are introduced to techniques such as jabs, footwork and defence movements, while also working on situational awareness. The format allows girls to return for multiple sessions, practise techniques and become more comfortable applying them over time.Raval began boxing at the age of 12, and her experience with the sport shaped the way she approached DefendHer. “Self-defence is not just about knowing how to fight,” she said. “It is about feeling capable enough to respond when something does not feel right, and confident enough to believe that you have a choice.”She added that boxing taught her discipline and resilience and changed how she thought about confidence and her ability to protect herself. She wanted other girls to experience some of that change through the sessions.During the training, Raval works alongside participants, demonstrating techniques, correcting movements and taking them through drills and exercises. She said one change she has observed is how participants approach the sessions. Girls who were initially hesitant to step forward or unsure about performing a technique gradually became more willing to participate and practise independently.“The point is not to turn girls into fighters,” Raval said. “It is to make sure they leave knowing that they have skills they can rely on and confidence within themselves,” she added.Teaching the techniques has also given Raval a different perspective on boxing. Movements that had become instinctive after years of training had to be broken down and explained to girls encountering them for the first time. This required her to adapt sessions according to each participant’s confidence and ability, and to focus not only on demonstrating a movement but on teaching it.Raval believes that practical training can also create space for broader conversations around women’s safety. “Just telling a girl to be confident does not necessarily make her confident,” she said. “When she begins to trust herself, that confidence becomes more real.”With approximately 75 girls reached across 26 sessions, Raval plans to continue developing DefendHer while retaining the regular training model that has been central to the initiative. The programme remains focused on giving participants an opportunity to learn, practise and build familiarity with self-defence techniques over time.Reference/s: The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.