“NEVER GIVE UP”
says The Unbreakable Mary Kom
The Landless girl
For those who know, MC Mary Kom,She is a role model to many and everyone’s desire to read about her rise to success has also resulted in her autobiography – Unbreakable, the much-awaited book tells the inspiring story of a girl child born to parents who were landless agricultural labourers In the state of Manipur in Northeast India, Mary’s story is one of relentless struggle and an unflinching passion for the sport of boxing. A childhood of hard labour prepared her body for the sport just as well as any fitness training might have. Her own will and determination carried her through the minefield of politics that any sport in India is. Nimble of foot and pulling no punches, the boxing ring is Mary’s dominion.
In Delhi, Mary in an interview said, “My struggle has been one that many in our country face, especially women. The reason I decided to pen my story down was so others could read it and feel that if I could achieve what I have, so can they. One must have passion, dedication and faith in oneself and all dreams can come true.”
“I want people to know a sportsperson’s struggle.”
The film is directed by Omung Kumar and stars Priyanka Chopra as Mary. She Plays, Mary, the five times World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist M C Mary Kom said, “Priyanka Chopra has done a good job in the film. The reason why I agreed to the film in the first place was because I wanted to focus on the tremendous struggle sportspeople face before they win their first world title. It is only after winning an international title that their life gets better otherwise they have to struggle really hard and shed blood, sweat and tears just to get the right training in their sport. I wanted people to know what goes on before a sportsman becomes a star and I hope the film succeeds in that.”
Mary revealed that the director was surprised at how few people in the country really knew about her despite her being an international champion. When I told him that no one knew about my story beyond the sporting world or a few who read magazines and newspapers, he said “you must be kidding me. I don’t believe it”. But it is true that most people in our country don’t know about sports people like me – even after we win international medals.”
Mary at the launch of her book ‘Unbreakable.’
The Perfect person
The one thing that her fans love about MC Mary Kom (born as Mangte Chungneijang) who is known for her lightening fast reflexes in the ring isher simplicity, and post her Olympic win husband Ouler proudly said about his celebrity wife, “I see her as the perfect woman. Whatever she does she does perfectly, and with full concentration – boxing, watching TV, sleeping… Everything has a grace about it. She does what she did before, with the same energy and dedication, at home and in boxing. She looks after the children the same way.”
A national icon, who won the highest accolades for the nation in her chosen field, world champ Mary Kom is a daughter, wife and mother of three. Hailed as the nation’s darling and Manipur’s pride, Mary won her Olympic medal in 2012,when she was already a mother of twin boys and in July last year Mary gave birth to her third son. She laughs, “I would have loved to have a daughter but I got a third son.” Mary is back to training even as she lives up to her responsibilities both as wife and mother.Having her babies was “No problem” she says with a laugh as she makes short shrift of her caesarean section surgeries and her hiatus from her training programme as well as her family responsibilities as she resumes doing what she does best – boxing.
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