Who is the most successful woman boxer in the world?

She is an Indian, a mother of three boys, a Rajya Sabha member, Arjuna, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhusan Awardee, 2012 London Olympic medalist and six times world boxing champion. Yes, she is MC Mary Kom of Manipur.

Magnificent Mary, as she is popularly called, is an icon, living inspiration and role model for millions of young Indians. She became the most successful boxer in the history of Women’s World Boxing Championships by winning her sixth gold medal beating Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota 5-0 in the 48 kg category on November 24, 2018.

Mary Kom, 35, won the silver medal in the inaugural edition in 2001 and then went on to win five gold medals in each of the next five consecutive editions — 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

 “She has transformed from being a bullfighter to a smarter pugilist. This has equipped her with the ability to outsmart her opponents and helped her become one of the world’s best amateur boxers of all times,” said Mary Kom’s husband Onler Kom, her most vocal critic, when asked to reveal Mary’s secret formula for her continuing success in the boxing ring.

“The diligence with which she has pursued sports and excelled at the world stage is extremely inspiring. Her win is truly special,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulating her on her extraordinary achievement.

Taking cognizance of her amazing achievements, the Manipur government has bestowed her with the title of ‘Meethoi Leima’ which means ‘Ultimate Lady’. The title, which carries a cash award of Rs 10 lakh, was handed to her at a function held at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal on November 11, 2018.

Chief Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, who handed over a crown and a traditional attire to Mary Kom along with a cheque for Rs 10 lakh, said, “Winning the sixth world title is not an easy job. She is the only woman to have achieved this feat. That is why we decided to confer the title of ‘Meethoi Leima’ on her, which she richly deserves. She has made Manipur and India proud with her achievements. I would also congratulate her coaches and family members who stood by her through thick and thin. She is a proud daughter of Manipur.”He declared that the state would honour her by naming the Imphal West DC-Langol Road as ‘MC Mary Kom Road’.  

A tough  and humble childhood

Thrilled by the love and affection shown to her, Mary said that it is with the government’s support and people’s blessings that she is able to win all the boxing titles. “Lots of people, including my colleagues in Parliament, seemed to have reservations as on whether I can win my sixth world title, but my patience paid off. If you have the patience, determination and will power, you can do it,” she said. She called upon youngsters in India to work hard to achieve their dreams.

If her spectacular performance in the ring is an inspiration to all budding boxers, her upbringing and struggles in childhood will certainly prove to be even more inspirational to boys and girls struggling for success in life. She attributes her unprecedented winning streak to her humble background, which, she says, gives her relentless streams of strength to keep fighting. “If I was from a middle class or high-class background, I would not have achieved the kind of titles at all. So, I thank God that I grew up in a humble background and was born in a poor family,” she said.

Like many successful sportspersons of Manipur, Mary was born to a poor family at a remote village called Kangathei in Churachandpur district. Being tenant farmers, her parents used to toil on jhum fields every single day to earn a square meal. Maryhad to struggle really hard to pursue her penchant for sports in the initial days and at the same time help her parents with domestic chores. 

Mary epitomizes sporting excellence. If the first gold she won at Antalya, Turkey, way back in 2002, was historic and a defining moment in her illustrious career, the latest gold she won at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, on November 24, was a record-breaking and glorious achievement. The jam-packed stadium erupted in collective joy with her victory. It was indeed a sublime experience on seeing the age-defying performance, enriched by years of experience.

Very few athletes can stay in the limelight for 16 highly competitive and tough years, but Mary is an exception.  It was exactly 16 years ago when she won her first world boxing gold and she never faded away from fame and glory all these years.

“I won a bronze medal in the Olympics in 2012, but gold is something I dream of. I am very happy about my championship win, as it boosted my confidence to face life head-on. I am eyeing gold in the Tokyo Olympics. I will train doubly hard to get a gold for my country,” she asserted. “Motherhood only adds to your strength and inner peace. I want to prove that a mother of three can conquer the world,” she said.

Poster icon and role model

Not long ago, Mary had to run from pillar to post to beg for sponsorships, but, today, she charges nearly Rs 50 lakh per endorsement. This transformation came about after the London Olympics.

The Olympic bronze turned Mary into a poster girl of Indian sports. From ‘Magnificent Mary’, she became ‘Brand Mary’. She is perhaps the first active sportsperson on whom a biopic was made with Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra playing her in reel life.

After the Mary Kom phenomena, more and more girls and willing parents are seeing boxing as a potential career. Many are joining her boxing academy which she and her husband have been running since 2006.

Take, for example, S Ningneihat Kom, 18, Mary’s first student. She started training in 2006. Today, she is the state champion in 48kg flyweight and is ready to burst onto the senior ranks. “I want to follow didi’s footsteps. I want to be the next Mary Kom,” she said.

Monica Devi, 15, daughter of a poor farmer, has similar dreams. “We struggled to make ends meet but my father still managed to save some money to buy me boxing gloves. He wants me to win a medal at the Olympics like Mary Kom,” she said.

Since her Olympics glory, the number of trainees in her boxing school has grown to 62. More than half of them are girls and from poor backgrounds. Lodging, boarding and training is free for the promising ones. Many of them like Ningneihat and Monika Devi have already started winning medals.

“They are all part of our family,” says Onler Kom, who is the managing director of the Mary Kom Foundation, the Trust which runs the Mary Kom Boxing Academy at Langol in Imphal West. “She doesn’t want them to struggle as she did. They need not worry. Mary is there to fight for them,” said  Onler.

After the routine morning warm-up and some shadow-boxing, the trainees form a semi-circle and listen attentively to their favourite instructor – Mary Kom. “Boxing is much like life, it’s a continuous fight,” Mary tells them. “There will be obstacles, but you have to overcome them.”