From the jhum fields of Kangathei village in Churachandpur district to now being a member of the Rajya Sabha, the journey of Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom has indeed been remarkable. This is not a history of her childhood but just a mention of how her journey from a non-descript village in Manipur to the Rajya Sabha is noteworthy, a sure indication that given the right amount of work and dedication to one’s profession the sky is the limit. Still a boxer, for it may be wrong to say that she has made a complete journey from the ring to Parliament, for remember the boxer herself has set her eyes on Rio, next year. Five world championships, the Asian Games gold in 2014 and earlier the Olympics bronze in
and this should about sum up the achievement of Mary Kom in boxing at the highest level and to a large extent this should inspire the others who have donned the boxing gloves. Four Gold in the Asian Women’s Boxing Championships in 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012 and the Silver in 2008 should underline the fighting spirit of the young lady in question here and this list is not exhaustive for The Sangai Express must have missed out on her other accolades. What makes Mary Kom’s achievements all that more laudable is that she won the Olympic medal after becoming a mother and this certainly deserves recognition and appreciation.
So now Mary Kom is a Member of Parliament and in as much as her excellence should be noted for the elevation she finds herself in today, due acknowledgement too should be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP led NDA Government, for it is not very often that sportspersons from Manipur have been appreciated on such a scale. In a way it may also be noted that the latest gesture of the Prime Minister is perfectly in line with the Act East Policy of the Government and sits well with his instructions to the Union Ministers to visit the North East region regularly. A good blend of individual talent, dedication to one’s work at hand and a Government pursuing a policy that will go down well with a people who for long have felt short changed. The Government is on track and this is something which will go down well with the people for it stands that for too long, the country and the Government seem to have been fixated with only cricket, not that cricketers should not get their dues. So now a boxer from Manipur has made her way to Parliament and let there be more in other disciplines in the coming years.
