“People used to say that boxing is for men and not for women and I thought I would show them someday. I promised myself and proved myself. “
Mangte Chungneijang “Mary” Kom is among the most successful female boxers ever. She fought against the social norms of dominance of men in the field of boxing.
Her journey has not been a bed of roses but full of thorns and barriers. Despite the difficulties, hard decisions, and failures she has emerged victorious. She is the first female champion who has won six world titles and this is her story.
Early life
Mary Kom was born in Kagathei village, Moirang Lamkhai in the Churachandpur district of rural Manipur in India. She belonged to an economically backward family, Koms were tenant farmers who worked in the jhum fields. Her childhood was mostly about helping her parents with farm-related chores and attending school.
She used to participate in athletics at school, but after witnessing a few children, some of whom were female, practice boxing, she became fascinated with the sport. She had never considered that women could pursue such careers, but she could see herself in their roles when she watched them practice.
She started her training under her first coach K. Kosana Meitei in Imphal. When she was 15, she decided to leave her hometown to study at the Imphal Sports Academy. Later on, she trained under the Manipur State boxing coach M. Narjit Singh at Khuman Lampak.
She had kept her love of boxing a secret from her father—a former boxer—who feared that boxing would damage her appearance and jeopardize her chances of getting married. There was an emotional divide between them as a result of gender expectations that were ingrained in society. But through persistent hard work and unshakable dedication, she was able to eventually destroy these stereotypes. Her father saw through her persistence that she was capable of achieving goals that went above societal expectations. She demonstrated that her aspirations were the most important thing and that she could accomplish everything she set her mind to.
She spoke movingly about the major obstacles she had as a woman in the predominately male boxing profession during her interviews. She underlined that cultural prejudices and widespread gender preconceptions frequently cast doubt on women’s skills and place in sports. For female boxers, these obstacles create a challenging environment that offers little support, few chances, and less acceptance. Despite these challenges, her unwavering commitment and accomplishments have dispelled these myths and spurred a larger conversation about gender equality in sports, encouraging upcoming generations of female athletes to follow their passions without fear.
Career and success
After her marriage, she had taken a short break from boxing. It was a comma in her career life and not a full stop. She came back into the world which makes her happy and kept growing.
Mary Kom has accomplished a great deal throughout her boxing career. She took home two medals in 2008: one from the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship and one from the Asian Women’s Boxing Championship. She won another gold medal at the Asian Indoor Games in 2009 followed by two more golds in 2010 at the Asian Championship in Kazakhstan while competing in the 48 kg class. This was her sixth AIBA World Championship gold. She won another gold at the 2011 Asian Women’s Cup.
For the 2012 Olympics, Kom switched to the 51 kg division, where she advanced to the quarterfinals but failed to proceed further. Despite her failure, she moved forward with full determination leading to her winning a gold medal from the 2014 Asian Games. Kom was appointed to the Rajya Sabha in 2016 following which in 2017 she won her fifth gold medal at the Asian Championship. She made history in the year 2018 AIBA Championship becoming the first female champion of six world titles and received the title of “Meethoi Leima” which translates to, “the exceptional woman”, from the Manipur government. In 2019, the IOC appointed her as a boxing ambassador for the Olympics in Tokyo 2020.
Working for social causes
Mary Kom is also an animal rights activist and stars in an advertisement calling for a halt to the usage of elephants in circuses on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. “Animals in circuses suffer greatly, being beaten and subjected to torture. As a mother, I can only imagine the suffering these animals endure when their young are taken from them so they can be forced to perform in circuses. “ said Kom.
Additionally, Kom has supported PETA India’s Compassionate Citizen humane education initiative. She has requested that the program be added to official school curricula in a letter addressed to the education ministers of all the states and union territories in India.
After all her successes she still strives to love her sport even more every passing day portraying the true dedication of a sportsperson. She is an advocate for women’s empowerment and emphasizes girl children being able to choose the lives that they want. Her inspiration has touched the souls of millions: the girl from the little village who now belongs to the world!
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