Mary Kom, born Mangte Chungneijang, is an exemplary woman with innate strength who has changed the world of boxing for girls forever in India. Born and brought up in Manipur, at a time when boxing wasn’t a sport for Indian girls to pursue, she, despite challenges, went ahead with her dreams, and through her struggle and resultant victories, has made every girl believe that the sky is the limit. Her story of struggle and achievements has changed people’s outlook towards this so-called male-dominated sport.
Mary Kom’s biography contribution towards boxing has been extraordinary. She has been accoladed with numerous awards by the Government of India, prominent ones being the Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. In addition, she has also been bestowed with two honorary doctorates from North-Eastern Hill University (2016) and Kaziranga University (2019).
She is the first Indian boxer to receive a Legends Award from the International Boxing Association. And she is also the brand ambassador for the Women’s World Boxing Championships. Mary Kom runs a boxing academy where she grooms and nurtures budding boxers in Manipur to help them achieve success. In a country like India where women are still working towards achieving independence and fighting for basic rights, the achievements of Mary Kom motivate women to take the road not oft-travelled. She pursued her dreams and laid a foundation for many people to take up different routes to achieve success. She is truly an inspiration and an epitome of women’s empowerment who pushed all boundaries and made it big as described in Mary Kom’s biography. Read more about her in Mary Kom’s biography.
She is indeed an example that a mother and a wife can also pursue their dreams. One often finds women sacrificing their careers for their families. However, her story is an inspiration for the upcoming boxers and taught them to efficiently manage all her struggles and emerge as a rockstar. Her achievements have left a mark on society and helped people change their perspective that certain sports are not meant to be taken up by women. She believes that women can compete and win in any field of sports. From her story, Indian women can learn that if they are passionate about something they should pursue it wholeheartedly. Even if people at first negate a woman’s dreams, if she goes after her goals she will succeed, and the people around her will eventually be proud and supportive of her achievements. She also advises women to be strong and more confident about themselves.
She is today an incumbent Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, despite being a devoted wife and loving mother. Her sheer determination and high spirits made her achieve great heights in boxing. Her phenomenal rise from humble beginnings to the limelight on the global level serves as an inspiration to all of us. Mary’s famous quote ideally depicts the struggle and a way to overcome problems:
“I had no support, no opportunities, no sponsors, backing me for most of my career but still I prove everyone wrong.”
In a career spanning over two decades, the boxing legend, Mary Kom, has let her actions speak for themselves, be it inside the ring or outside. She not only deals with sports/boxing but also education and personality development activities, which eventually empowers students to the core. This inspires and influences the young female aspirants in the country and makes them realize that they are very much capable of doing what men can. Fighting with the grave infrastructural setbacks, India’s only woman boxer Kom is working day in and day out to provide the best possible facilities to aspiring sportspersons in India. Through her academy, she aspires to train underprivileged youth and turn them into champions of tomorrow by giving them support. The facilities include world-class standards comprising an indoor stadium with a gallery and multi-boxing ring, a gymnasium with a sauna, physiotherapy, a hostel, an apartment for coaches and staff, a guest house, as well as a dining and a kitchen as shown in Mary Kom’s biography.
Being an inspirational figure Mary Kom has contributed hugely to Indian sports. This Manipuri legend has illustrated to all the young and promising athletes, who are passionate about a contact sport that demands great physical strength, suppleness, and speedy reflexes as well as sheer obduracy in working past the pain of training and the physical rigours of competition, that anyone regardless of gender, financial standing, and societal privileges, can defy stereotypes and prejudices to follow and be successful in their passion. Three young boxers, Nikhat Zareen, Amit Panghal, and Nitu Ghanghas, who picked up medals in their maiden appearance in the Commonwealth Games this year, mark the finest tribute to Mary Kom as shown in Mary Kom’s biography.
Her life motivates people that despite multiple obstacles in life, one must keep working hard and be determined towards their goal. One must never give up and continue to pursue one’s passion irrespective of circumstances.
Lovingly called ‘Magnificent Mary,’ she broke free from poverty with her perseverance and today inspires fellow boxers across the world whether male or female to fulfil their dreams no matter how many curveballs life throws. With her hat-trick victories at World Championships, she exploded the myth about women’s participation in boxing, and the media christened her the “Queen of boxing”.
She is a living legend for every woman who wishes to achieve success and stardom in sports. Mary Kom has overcome gender bias, poverty, social and gender-based limitations and prejudices as well as the disadvantages of hailing from a small region devoid of infrastructure to go ahead and win the Olympic medal in boxing. She is an inspiration not only for her state but for women across the globe who endure hardships, showing resilience on a daily basis.
