Indian women boxers come of age

Women boxers of India have indeed come of age, all thanks to three women, two from Manipur and one from Mizoram. The fourth World Women Boxing Championship was held recently in New Delhi, and of the four gold medals won by Indians, three North Eastern women gave a new meaning to boxing.

Mary Kom of Manipur out-punched European champion Steluta Duta of Romania In the 46-kg category. Anoop Singh, her coach proudly lifted Kom after her 22:7 victory over her rival. "I have made a hat trick I am very happy. I want to do this more for my country and I want to twin medals once in the Olympic Games for my country," said Kom. Mizo girl Jenny R L, a reluctant pugilist at best, showed her mettle by defeating Swede Klara Svensson. For her, it was a dream come true when she held the Indian tricolour aloft.

Boxing has never been a popular sport in India, but women in the country’s north-east are determined to change this view, and are now showing a deep interest in the sport. They also have’nt ruled it out as a possible career option. In Sikkim, amateur women boxers have surmounted problems like poor infrastructure, lack of encouragement and the absence of good opportunities to take up boxing in a big way."It has been about four to five years since we began boxing as a sport for women in Sikkim, but there are many girls who remain concerned about any damage to their appearance.

Moreover, many of them face a tough opposition from their conservative families, " says Pradhan, a boxing coach.That the sport is gaining in popularity can be gauged from the fact that female boxers recently won a medal in each of the last three Olympics. In 2003, Hmangte Marykom won the World Boxing Championship in the light flyweight category.But the girls complain about the lack of family support or encouragement from other quarters."I will not say that my family encouraged me or supported me to become a boxer. My brother is a sportsman too. He is a footballer. When his tournaments are round the corner, I see that at home he gets most of the attention and help. I do not get the same treatment," claims Pratima Gurung, an upcoming boxer.

Usually, it is the coaches that prove to be of great relief and a source of major encouragement for these women boxers to keep up the momentum going."I am not worried though, as my coach is a very encouraging and capable person," says Gurung. According to the coaches, their wards need to overcome their diffidence to make it big in the boxing ring."In the rest of the northeast states like Manipur or Nagaland, the women’s mentality, the fighting spirit and culture are different from those of women in my state." says Jas Lal Pradhan, the chief coach of Sikkim’s women’s boxing team and an Arjuna awardee

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