[tps_footer]Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, the Olympic medal winning Boxer launched her autobiography Unbreakable in Mumbai recently. The guest of honor was none other than megastar Amitabh Bachchan himself.
Mary Kom’s story is that classic story of winning against big odds. She doesn’t talk about inspiration much, but her story is exactly that – an inspiration.
On the occasion, Mary Kom took a trip down the memory lane and described the first meeting with her husband, who according to her has been a pillar of support in her sporting career.
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It was fate that Mary met Onler in the year 2000. Mary boarded the train from Manipur for the Nationals to Bangalore. She lost her wallet in a previous train journey, so she strapped her suitcase that had her passport, money and other things with an iron rod to her wrist. But when she woke up her suitcase was gone. Mary was heart broken and devastated as getting a new passport for her was a tall order. Mary has never given up in any circumstance, but that day she had contemplated ending her life. She was most worried about her passport as she had her first international tournament within a month or so. Onler, who was then President of North East student’s body in Delhi, heard of the incident and offered to help her. They started to understand each other better and decided to get married after a four year courtship.
Mary Kom is already a legendary figure in the country, loved and admired by all. She has made innumerable contributions in breaking stereotypes about women, more so from the North-East. “The book beautifully brings out her indestructible spirit and is an inspirational read for everyone,” Mr. Bachchan said after unveiling her autobiography.
“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,” said a very emotional and determined Mary Kom.
“Because of our oriental looks, people from the North-East are often mocked in other parts of India. We’re called Nepalis, or Chinkies, and people call out things like chingching chong-chong,” this is what Mary Kom has written in in her recently published autobiography Unbreakable.
It’s a fairly candid book and even if Mary stops short of taking a really strong stance on some of the problems Indian women boxers have faced from the time, it was a fledgling sport to now. What comes across from the book is the fact that Mary is self absorbed, driven and obsessed.
Towards the end of her autobiography Mary Kom quotes from the Bible, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is also producing a film that’s based on Mary Kom’s life that stars Priyanka Chopra essaying the role of Mary Kom. The film is directed my Omang Kumar.[/tps_footer]
