Magnificent Mary

Manipur’s popular pugilist Mangte Chungnejang Mary Kompopularly known as M C Mary Kom has become the first woman boxer in the world to have won five world titles consecutively.

Besides this, she has more than three Asian titles and nine National championship titles under her belt. The boxer was accorded a hero’s welcome by the people during her homecoming after the historic victory in the world of sports by clinching her fifth World Championship title consecutively in Barbados.

The Manipur Government is also considering a move to christen a road or a sports stadium after Mary Kom. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh hinted at this while speaking at the state sponsored reception to the boxer at a well packed Khuman Lampak sports complex.

The Manipur Chief Minister also said that the government will allot a two acre plot of land at Langol for the expansion of her boxing academy namely the MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy besides giving an incentive cash award of Rs 10 lakhs. Mary Kom was also promoted to the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police.

Thousands of people, including students, lined up along the road from Imphal Airport to the city and garlanded the Manipuri boxer. Enthusiastic crowds packed the Indoor Stadium at Khuman Lampak.

Manipur Sports Minister, N Biren who presided over the reception function also announced that the government will give an incentive award of Rs 1 crore to sportspersons of Manipur who could secure gold medals in the Olympic Games.

“She is a legend and a rare sportsperson not only in Manipur but also in the world. We are proud of Manipur for producing such a legendary sportsperson,” Biren said while expressing his wish that Mary Kom would set another landmark achievement in the forthcoming Olympic Games.

Mary Kom, fighting back tears of joy said that all incentives received by her will be invested in developing her boxing academy. Recalling how she was brought up in a poorfamily, she said special advantage will be given to poor students in her academy.

Born on the first of March, 1983, Mary Kom is the eldest-born of Mr and Mrs Tonpa Kom of Kangathei Kom Village in Churachandpur district of Manipur. She became the first Indian woman to ever get a medal at an international boxing event when she won a silver medal at the 1st Women’s World Cup held in Pennsylvania in 2001. She went on to punch her way to the gold medal and best boxer title in the Tonsberg World Boxing tournament in Norway in 2004. Perhaps the crowning glory was her retaining her world champion title in the 46 kg category at the 3rd Women’s World Cup held in Russia in 2005.

However, sports, as a career choice was not something that her father, a poor farmer, ever thought of especially for his daughter. “When I was around 13 (1999), I confided to my mother that I wanted to stay in Imphal and pursue a sports career. At first they were reluctant, but when I persisted and persuaded them that sports is also a field where I can do well, they gave in,” she said.

The Fifth National Games held in Imphal in 1999 was a turning point for Mary and many other young girls as demonstration matches were held in women’s boxing during this event. At that time, women’s boxing was a very new sport. Mary had also seen other girls boxing at the SAI complex where she worked out regularly. She liked the sport and approached a friend, who in turn spoke to her teacher and soon inducted her into boxing in 2000.

The first tournament Mary took part in was the 1st State Level Boxing Championship organized by the Imphal District Amateur Boxing Association and Manipur Amateur Boxing Association from May 10-14, 2000. She won a gold medal there in the Light Flyweight category.

At the 1st Women’s World Cup at Pennsylvania, she became the first Indian woman to win a medal in international boxing by bagging a silver medal. She won her first gold medal in an international event at the 2nd World Championships.

This 27 year old mother of twin boys has won medals in all the five world championships held so far, including an unprecedented fifth successive gold in the event’s last edition in Barbados recently.

Mary got married on March 12, 2005 at Manipur Baptist Convention church in Imphal. “My husband, Onler Kom was studying in Delhi when I first met him. My parents and guardians requested him to look after me while I was in Delhi, he took me shopping and anywhere else I needed to go, thus I got to know him”.

“In fact the reason that I became a champion is because to him, first due to God’s grace and secondly due to my husband’s support,” she adds. Mary Kom’s is eyeing a medal in the forthcoming London 2012 Olympics.

Sobhapati Samom