Sunday, Feb 19, 2017

Dubai: She might have won dozens of medals for her country, including an Olympic bronze and an Asian Games gold, but Mary Kom still believes she is yet to achieve her real goal, which is to open up avenues of empowerment for women.

Speaking at a women empowerment forum organised by Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) in Dubai on Saturday evening, the number four ranked flyweight boxer in the world, congratulated rulers of the UAE for giving women real opportunities and the model of empowerment in the emirates.

“I am here to support all the efforts and initiatives taken for women empowerment. Now is the time when women need more support to show their potential. I thank IBPC for providing this opportunity to speak on behalf all women and support their cause,” said Kom.

She added that as someone who has achieved her dreams and contributed to the glory of the nation by winning medals and laurels, she has a lot to offer to youngsters wanting to fulfil their dreams.

“Before I retire as a professional boxer I want to take every opportunity to inspire more people, especially girls, to chase their dreams and redefine their boundaries. I want more girls to break the barriers,” said Kom, whose story of struggle to rise from a humble background to reach the highest level has inspired thousands in India.

Kom, 35, who became the first female Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal at London Olympics 2012, has now set up a boxing academy in her native state Manipur in order groom young boxers.

“I want to share my experience with younger generation. My aim is to groom more Mary Koms and provide underprivileged children all the support that I didn’t get initially. I don’t want them to struggle and go through all the pain that I did. Our state-of-the-art academy provides high quality training and all the facilities to young boxers,” she said.

Recalling her struggles to rise in a male-dominated sport in rural northeastern India, Kom, who is now a member of the Indian Parliament, said: “The biopic that was made a couple years was based on my true story and Priyanka Chopra did great job playing my part. But what the movie could show was less than 10 per cent of the struggles and pains I went through. In those days when girls in my village didn’t play any field sport, it was difficult to convince anyone that a girl could be a boxer. I had to hide from my father the fact that I was training to be a boxer for a long time, because he wouldn’t approve. But eventually, looking at my persistence, he did.”

Urging young dreamers to be persistent, the mother of three said: “Never give up your dreams for anything. Keep trying and one day people will be convinced and you will get the support. It might take sometime, but if you have the resolve you always achieve your goals.”

She added that the real motivation comes from one’s mind, “More than strength and technique I rely on my mental power to win and that’s what counts.”

Kom was speaking at a panel discussion that had such illustrated women achievers like Dr. Maryam Mattar, former undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Health, Mani Suri, wife of Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Shafeena Yousufali, CEO of Tablez Food Company, Fatima Buti Al Mheiri, Chairperson of Dubai Quality Group, and Bindu Chettur, board member of IBPC.

By Shafaat Shahbandari Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.