Meeting Mary Kom: 5 Things I Learned From The Boxing Champion!

A journalist looks back at her experience in meeting Mary Kom, the great Indian boxing champion.

This year I had an incredible opportunity – the one I had never even dreamed of – to meet the Magnificent Mary. It still feels surreal that I spent approximately half an hour, not only in her presence, but interviewing her. Here are some personal takeaways from my star-struck moment with MC Mary Kom.

Small and mighty

The first thing I heard about her was from a fellow reporter who had arrived there a while before me. She came close and whispered “she is so tiny.”Yes Mary Kom is not tall and intimidating by physical appearance, but her persona speaks volumes. Her presence makes you aware of her passion. Her eyes have her story inscribed in them and as she signs some giveaway boxing gloves, she wonders if she could sign them personally with names of people who would receive them. She hopes to inspire. She has dreams, not of gold and castles, but of a brighter future for her sport, state and country.

Beacon of inspiration

When asked about the movie Mary Kom, she said she was pleased that her story got a platform which could help reach out to a wider audience, and who knows how many more Mary Kom’s we will be able to produce by inspiring the young ladies that have so much potential, but just need a source to draw strength from. She added that sometimes we underestimate ourselves, but once the barrier has been broken once, it can be broken many more times.

Persistence

How many times do we just give up? Had she given up so easily, today we wouldn’t have a powerful story to share. She didn’t give in. She struggled, had faith in God, but more than that, she had faith in herself. Hard work and persistence can make mountains move and this is evident from her life story.

Image via Intelligent Life India.

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Family matters

She attributes her success to her family and husband who have always been supportive. She says her strength comes from the fact that they are there to look after her children while she is away and their love helps her push boundaries. She cherishes the moments she gets to spend with her family, just as a mother, daughter and wife, but she is always aware of the greater responsibility she has towards her sport and country.

Mary Kom came from humble beginnings. Both her parents being farmers made their life a constant toil. Her initial motivation to enter sports was to secure a government job under sports quota and be able to provide a stable, steady source of income for her family. But fate had other plans. Was she the chosen one? Maybe! But what makes her special is how she has made the most of every opportunity. How she carved a path where there were just thorns. And how her dreams have just grown. She is now running a school for kids in Manipur where they are educated, provided for and trained in the sport – all for free!

Here is the link to the interview.

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