Unlike her achievements which stand tall, Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom is rather petite. It’s tough to believe this five-ft-two-inch boxer has knocked the victory out of many others in the boxing ring and thrived. But then, ‘prosperous’ is her middle name — that’s what Chungneijang means.
As she makes her way to the Sathyabama University to collect the Inspiring Icon Award of India, you can barely see her above the mob of photographers that have engulfed her. Craning our necks and standing on our toes, we see her head bobbing about as she makes her way. She has a deadpan countenance as the photographers get busy clicking. But once she starts talking, Mary Kom breaks into a grin. The boxer has a lot going for her, a mention in Barrack Obama’s speech in India; a gold in the last edition of the Asian Games in Incheon and a movie to her credit — Mary Kom that made more people take notice of her and what it took for a woman from Manipur to get this far in a sport that’s shadowed by other popular ones.
“But nothing has changed. I have been the same person for the last three decades. The only difference is that when I am travelling, I notice I have a lot of fans. It makes me happy,” she smiles. The Olympic bronze medal winner is unhappy about the conflict between Boxing India and the Indian Olympic Association. “I have achieved almost everything in the national and international level but I am worried about the youngsters,” she adds.
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The University’s event, titled Femfest, celebrates women achievers from diverse fields, and Mary Kom says that she believes women are tougher than men. “Women seem to be doing much better. Look at boxing in the Asian Games…only a woman from our country won a gold, that was me…No gold medal was won in the men’s boxing category.”
She has vivid memories of Chennai. It was here in 2000 that she won her first National Championship. “And now I am back here to receive an award for excelling in my sport.”