New Delhi: Adding another feather to her cap, six-time world champion and pugilist Mary Kom has been appointed as the chairperson of the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) champions and veterans committee.
In a letter issued by AIBA President Umar Kremlev it has been stated, "With great pleasure I inform you that you have been selected to serve as the chairperson of the AIBA Champions and Veteran Committee following the mail vote by the board of directors of AIBA."
"I am confident with your vast knowledge and experience you will make a valuable contribution to the success of this important committee," he added.
The 2012 Olympic bronze-medalist, Mary Kom was elected by the Board of Directors of AIBA.
The Committee, formed in December last year, consists of the most respected worldwide boxing veterans and champions who have achieved significant results and who are ready to share their experience.
Thanking the AIBA President, Mary Kom said she will give her best at the position.
Popularly known as Magnificent Mary, she is the only female boxer to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, she competed in the flyweight (51 kg) category and won a bronze medal. AIBA has ranked her as the world's no 1 female light-flyweight. Later she went on to become the first Indian female boxer to win a gold medal in the Asian Games in 2014 at Incheon, South Korea and is the first Indian female boxer to win gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
After she was decorated with the sixth world title in 2018, the government of Manipur has honoured her with the "Meethoi Leima" title, which means 'a great or exceptional lady'.
Currently, she is a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. On 25 April 2016, the President of India nominated Mary Kom as a member of the Rajya Sabha. She was also appointed as a national observer for boxing in 2017 along with Akhil Kumar.
Mary Kom is currently in Spain to compete in the Boxam International Tournament in Castellon. It needs to be mentioned here that she has also qualified for her second and final Olympic – the Tokyo Games which is scheduled to begin in July-August this year.