Mary Kom at Khel Mahakumbh: Praises CM Yogi's efforts and encourages UP youth to win medals

On the seventh day of 'Khel Mahakumbh,' organized by Krida Bharti and TYC, international boxing icon and former Rajya Sabha MP Mary Kom participated in an engaging dialogue session of Khel Samvad Sangam. She lauded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's unwavering support for athletes in Uttar Pradesh and urged young sportspersons to take responsibility for bringing home medals.  

Reflecting on her journey, Mary Kom shared, "In my childhood, I played every sport without knowing about boxing. Growing up in poverty, my diet was limited to rice, but my passion for sports never wavered. When I started boxing, I was determined to reach the top. My advice to young athletes is simple—focus on one goal, stay disciplined, strengthen your mindset, and fuel your passion. Success will follow."  

She further emphasized the need for greater sports recognition beyond cricket, expressing regret that women's boxing still lacks widespread recognition even after becoming a world champion competing against over 30 countries. 

"After marriage and motherhood, I returned to boxing with even more determination because of my hunger for excellence and medals," she added.  

Meanwhile, in the 70-meter archery competition, young athletes showcased remarkable precision. Gold medals were clinched by Ishu Singh (Mathura) in the Senior Boys category, Rakhi (Shamli) in Senior Girls, Hari Shukla (Kanpur) in Junior Boys, and Khushi Srivastava (Ghazipur) in Junior Girls. 

Judges for the event included Vishal, Rajababu, and international coach Vishwas. The grand event will conclude on Thursday, with the state’s Sports Minister presiding over the closing ceremony. 

BJP MP from Odisha Sukanto Kumar Panigrahi and Patanjali's Communication Head Bajrang Dev were present as special guests of the program. 

State Vice President of Krida Bharti Angad Singh, Regional Coordinator Rajat Dixit, Kashi Province President Pankaj Srivastava, Kashi Province Vice President Dinesh Jaiswal and all the officials and players of Krida Bharti were also present.