DC honours two women kickboxers for winning medals at Thailand World Cup

Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap today honoured two young women from Himachal Pradesh who represented India at the First Thailand Kickboxing World Cup held in Bangkok from April 7 to 12. Deekshita Shilal won a silver medal, while Sanika Laltwan secured a bronze—marking a significant achievement for the state.

Congratulating the athletes, the DC praised their exceptional performances and said they were role models for the youth. “Their success brings immense pride to the region and serves as a shining example of what dedication and perseverance can achieve through sports,” he said. Emphasising the importance of sports in promoting a healthy lifestyle and tackling social issues such as drug abuse, the DC further pledged full administrative support to both athletes.

He also announced that both girls would be involved in the district’s anti-drug campaign as motivational figures to inspire young people to stay away from substance abuse.

Sanika Laltwan, daughter of Shamsher Singh, hails from Sandhari village in Chirgaon Tehsil, Shimla district. She bagged a bronze medal in the Full Contact 56 kg category. Beginning her martial arts journey in 2016 with Wushu, she later trained in Taekwondo at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Shimla. Her accolades include a bronze in the Open 52 kg category (2020), gold at Khelo India 2023 (Shilaroo) in 56 kg kickboxing, and gold at the 2025 International Kickboxing Championship in Delhi.

Deekshita Shilal, daughter of the late Keshav Ram Chauhan from Diswani village in Chirgaon, won silver in the -56 kg category. Her journey began with district-level events from 2014 to 2018, later expanding to state and national competitions. She earned gold in Rohtak (2019), silver at national championships in Goa (2020, 2022), gold in Khelo India 2023, and bronze at the Senior Nationals in 2024. In 2025, she became the first Indian woman to win both a gold medal and a Gala Fight Belt in a kickboxing gala fight. She is currently pursuing a BA at Government Post Graduate College, Seema.

In 2024, Sanika and Deekshita co-founded the Himalayan Warrior Martial Arts Academy in Chirgaon to promote martial arts at the school level and steer the youth away from drugs.

Himachal Tribune