IMPHAL, Sep 24: The BJP President Nitin Gadkari today felicitated MC Mary Kom, the boxer from Manipur, who won her fifth gold medal at the World Boxing Championships in Bridgetown ( Barbados ) on September 18, 2010.
Gadkari presented a cheque of Rs. One lakh and a memento to Mary Kom for her excellent performance. He also presented toys for her twin sons whom she has been missing for quite some time. Mary Kom wanted to buy some toys for her kids but couldn’t go for shopping in Barbados due to her tight schedule.
The felicitation function was organized by the BJP-North-East Cell at the party headquarters in New Delhi .
The BJP President also presented a cheque of Rs. 51,000 and a memento to another boxer Kavita Chahal from Bhiwani in Haryana who won a bronze medal at the world championship. Kavita had won silver medal in the Asian boxing championship in 2008.
Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari expressed the hope that Mary Kom will do equally well in the Commonwealth Games in October this year & in the 2012 London Olympics. Kavita Chahal too will win gold next time, he added.
Gadkari said Mary Kom is a role model for young women in the country and said the BJP will continue to encourage Indian sportspersons to win titles in their respective disciplines.
Mary Kom, a mother of two came back from a two-year sabbatical to clinch her fourth successive World Amateur Boxing gold in the 46 Kg. category in 2008. The win in Bridgetown is her fifth and this time in the 48 kg. category.
Congratulating “Magnificent Maryâ€, as she is popularly known in the All India Boxing Association, Gadkari said she has done the country in general and the entire North-East in particular proud by achieving this historic feat.
The BJP president said he has asked the party North-East Cell to prepare a vision document for the all-round development of North-Eastern region.
M C Mary Kom thrashed her old rival Duta Steluta of Romania in the final to win her fifth World women’s boxing title.
Earlier, introducing Mary Kom, the BJP North-East Cell In-charge, Suni Deodar said the Manipur boxer was a Khel Ratna awardee and had bagged a silver medal in her first world cup. After that she claimed four successive gold medals in the prestigious tournament, he said.
Deodar said Mary Kom was earlier an athlete and switched to boxing after the success of fellow Manipur boxer Dingko Singh.
Mary Kom thanked the BJP president for honouring her and Kavita Chahal and said felicitation of sportspersons always encouraged them to perform better. She presented a Shawl and a spear to Gadkari as a token of love and affection on behalf of the people of entire North-East.
The BJP National Secretary Navjot Singh Sidhu, who specially flew in here to join the felicitation function, said Mary Kom was a role model for the Indian youth and she has done the country proud by her historic fifth world title in boxing.
Also present on the occasion were Party General Secretary, Jagat Nadha, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Chief, Anurag Thakur and other office-bearers.
Meanwhile, MC Mary Kom was today presented Rs 3 lakhs by Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd. for winning gold in the Women Boxing World Championship in Barbados recently.
Sandeep Jajodia, Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd, presented the cheque of Rs 3 lakh to Mary Kom at a felicitation function here.
She was conferred the honour of Monnet Woman of Steel.
“Mary Kom has made India proud once again by winning the gold at the recently held world boxing championship, her stupendous achievement in the 48 kg world women boxing championships in Barbados , proves that she has been amongst the most consistent champion. This is the fifth World championship medal that Mary has won and I am confident of her winning more medals in the upcoming Asian games in November,†said Jajodia.
