While Kom is recognized for securing a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics, everybody may not know some facts about her

Mary Kom; the name of this gallant woman is recognized by practically everybody in India. Even on the universal stage, her boxing legacy is recognized by many. Through thick and thin, the woman from the North-Eastern part of India has proved her mettle by securing several medals in this fighting sport. However, there are some facts about Kom that the world may not be aware of.

In this piece, read some lesser-known facts about the fabulous woman boxer Mary Kom.

Lacked support from family                                    

In the initial times of her boxing career, Mary Kom lacked encouragement from her family. In those days, boxing was not identified as a sport for women and her family were against her boxing. She received a harsh scolding from her father after the news of her first victory went viral through newspapers.

School dropout

To concentrate on her boxing and devote more time, a young Mary Kom left her St. Xavier’s school when she was in her seventh standard. Later on, the boxer completed her school education in private. After concluding her school education, she pursued her higher study in private from Churachandpur College. While pursuing her higher education, she had already turned into a professional and established boxer.

Earned an official nickname

While most of the sports persons obtain their moniker from fans or media, Mary Kom earned her nickname from an official boxing board. Known as ‘Magnificent Mary’, this tag was conferred to her by the International Amateur Boxing Association in 2007 to honour her class performance and massive contribution to the Indian boxing space.

An academy for underprivileged kids

Being from an underprivileged household, Mary Kom has experienced the idea of poverty since childhood. The fighter has spent years fighting without having sufficient bread in her belly or special health supplements. For this reason, Kom founded the MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy, where she gives free boxing training to underprivileged kids and supports them in every other way.

A road named after her

The six-times world boxing champion has received several accolades such as the Arjuna Award, Padma Shree, and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. In her home state Manipur, a stretch of road in the city of Imphal has been named after her. The announcement was made in 2018 by the state’s chief minister, N Biren Singh.