MARY KOM:
a Woman who has made India proud with her glorious achievements, Mary Kom is a boxer—the only Indian woman boxer who managed to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics where she also won a Bronze Medal. A five-time world amateur boxing champion, she is surprisingly serene and philosophical about all her achievements. Named as Mangte Chungneijang at birth, she chose the name “Mary” as she entered the world of professional sports as it was easier to pronounce. Born into a poor family she began helping her parents by working in the fields while still very young. As a school girl she used to play a variety of sports—hockey, football, and athletics—but surprisingly not boxing! When the Manipuri boxer Dingko Singh won a gold at the Asian Games in 1998, the girl was inspired to take up boxing. Still taking up a sport considered “masculine” by social standards was no easy task for the young tribal girl. But Mary was not someone to be discouraged, and traveled to Imphal to train in athletics. Today her success is for all to see! Of course, there is more to Mary Kom than just professional success—she also teaches boxing to underprivileged youngsters for free.
SAINA NEHWAL:
Saina Nehwal is one of the best known Indian Badminton players, and arguably the most promising female Indian Badminton player at the moment.
She was born on the 17th of March 1990 in Hisar, Haryana. Both her father, Dr. Harvir Singh and mother Usha Rani were former State Badminton Champions in Haryana, so she got the game of Badminton in her genes. Dr. Harvir Singh, a scientist at the Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad encouraged her to pick up the game of Badminton, and took her to Nani Prasad, the Badminton Coach at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad in the year 1998. The 8 yrs old Saina followed a very tough training schedule right since the beginning, and would travel almost 50kms a day for the training. Further, Saina trained under S.M. Arif, a Dronacharya Award winning Badminton Coach, and now is receiving Coaching at the Pullela Gopichand’s Academy of Badminton at Hyderabad.
MILKA SINGH:
Milkha Singh is a former Indian track and field sprinter who was the first Indian male athlete to win an individual athletics gold medal at a Commonwealth Games. Fondly called ‘The Flying Sikh’—a title bequeathed to him by the former President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan—he is highly respected for his sporting achievements. He has made his motherland proud by winning several Gold medals in international sporting events like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. He had entered the 400m race at the 1960 Olympic Games as one of the favorites and had even led the race till the 200m mark before he lost his speed and other runners overtook him. Sadly, the contender for Gold couldn’t even win a Bronze! Yet even in losing he set an Indian national record for 400m. Milkha Singh’s story is one of hope and inspiration. As a teenager he witnessed the massacre of his whole family in front of his eyes. Orphaned and heart-broken he worked up his way through life, seeking solace in the running. After years of struggle he became a successful man and today he supports needy sportsmen through the Milkha Singh Charitable trust.
SAINA NEHWAL:
Saina Nehwal is one of the best known Indian Badminton players, and arguably the most promising female Indian Badminton player at the moment.
She was born on the 17th of March 1990 in Hisar, Haryana. Both her father, Dr. Harvir Singh and mother Usha Rani were former State Badminton Champions in Haryana, so she got the game of Badminton in her genes. Dr. Harvir Singh, a scientist at the Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad encouraged her to pick up the game of Badminton, and took her to Nani Prasad, the Badminton Coach at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad in the year 1998. The 8 yrs old Saina followed a very tough training schedule right since the beginning, and would travel almost 50kms a day for the training. Further, Saina trained under S.M. Arif, a Dronacharya Award winning Badminton Coach, and now is receiving Coaching at the Pullela Gopichand’s Academy of Badminton at Hyderabad.
MILKA SINGH:
Milkha Singh is a former Indian track and field sprinter who was the first Indian male athlete to win an individual athletics gold medal at a Commonwealth Games. Fondly called ‘The Flying Sikh’—a title bequeathed to him by the former President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan—he is highly respected for his sporting achievements. He has made his motherland proud by winning several Gold medals in international sporting events like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. He had entered the 400m race at the 1960 Olympic Games as one of the favorites and had even led the race till the 200m mark before he lost his speed and other runners overtook him. Sadly, the contender for Gold couldn’t even win a Bronze! Yet even in losing he set an Indian national record for 400m. Milkha Singh’s story is one of hope and inspiration. As a teenager he witnessed the massacre of his whole family in front of his eyes. Orphaned and heart-broken he worked up his way through life, seeking solace in the running. After years of struggle he became a successful man and today he supports needy sportsmen through the Milkha Singh Charitable trust.
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