About Mary Kom
Country of Birth
India
Industry
Sports and politics
Top achievements
Even though Mary Kom was born into poverty in India, she moved to the city and began boxing. She soon became an influential woman in sports as a champion boxer who won several medals. Kom became a national hero when she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
Kom is highly regarded for setting a new standard in amateur boxing. Although she never competed professionally, Kom was the first amateur to achieve higher earnings, awards, and endorsements than her professional peers. She was also the first amateur athlete to accomplish the Padma Bhushan.
In addition to her achievements as a boxer, Kom joined the Rajya Sabha, the Indian Upper House Parliament, and campaigns on various issues on behalf of fellow citizens. She is an animal rights activist and supports PETA India and the organization’s Compassionate Citizen campaign. Kom also runs a local sports club where she trains youths to box for free.
Early life and education
Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom was born in 1982 in Kagathei village, Moirang Lamkhai, in rural Manipur, India. Her parents were tenant farmers who worked in fields to make a modest living. Mary attended the Loktak Christian Model High School and St. Xavier Catholic School in Moirang. She was an avid athlete, participating in javelin throwing, volleyball, football, and running. A local boxer returned from the Bangkok Asian Games with a gold medal and inspired Kom to give up athletics to start boxing.
In 2000, Kom began training with K. Kosana Meitei in Imphai. Aged 15, Kom left her hometown to enroll at the Imphal Sports Academy. In an interview with the BBC, Meitei spoke about Kom as a dedicated and hardworking person who picked up boxing quickly.
Early Career
Mary Kom’s next step in her boxing career was to train under coach M. Narjit Singh, the Manipur state boxing coach. Kom’s father was not optimistic about his daughter taking up boxing. As a former wrestler, he was concerned that it would damage her face and ruin her chances of marriage. Kom persevered despite her father’s misgivings about her choice in career but kept it secret from her father. Eventually, Mr. Kom saw her photo in a newspaper after she won the state boxing championships. After around three years, he became convinced of his daughter’s love of boxing and began supporting her decision.
Recognition
Between 2000 and 2021, Mary Kom won several championships and medals. She has won an award at all the AIBA World Boxing Championships since its launch in 2001 and competed in the Olympic Games in London in 2012, where she won a bronze medal.
In 2014, Kom won a gold medal at the Asian Games; in 2018, she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Kom also received the following awards:
- The Padma Vibhushan for sports in 2020
- The Padma Bhushan for sports in 2013
- The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award in 2009
- The Padma Shri for sports in 2006
- The Arjuna Award for boxing in 2003
Additional facts
- Mary Kom is married and has three sons and an adopted daughter.
- She co-authored and published an autobiography called Unbreakable in 2013.
- In 2014, Omung Kumar directed a biographical movie about Mary Kom in which Priyanka Chopra portrayed the boxer.
