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Mary Kom’s academy receives a big boost
MUMBAI: Sports mangement experts and stakeholders in India have time and again stressed the importance to develop alternate sports like hockey, boxing and football at a decentralised level with the help of corporate companies. One such game, boxing, today received a boost as five time Amateur Boxing World Champion Mary Kom was handed a cheque of Rs five lakh which was crowd funded by Edelweiss’ philanthropy arm EdelGive Foundation, to help build her boxing academy in Manipur.
The amount will be utilised to support build her boxing academy which currently houses 35 residential students comprising boys and girls besides other students who come for coaching classes.
Describing her long and rewarding journey Kom said, “When I started boxing it was very difficult to gain recognition as the sports was not very well known. But after six to seven years today not just the game but also women’s recognition in boxing has grown. But at the same time competition has grown tougher due to upcoming sports leagues including the Common Wealth Games and the Asian Games.”
Speaking on her successful career she added, “Patience, dedication, hard work and strong will power is what helped me become what I am today. The money received will not be splurged unnecessarily but invested in the academy to create more inspiring stories.”
EdelGive Foundation and Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), an organisation that builds teams of athletes and sports persons to become potential Olympic Gold winners at Olympic Games, helped her achieve her goals as it also provided her a Rs 2 crore life cover. Edelweiss Tokyo Life Insurance (ETLI) is now associated with the movie Mary Kom as it feels by promoting the film it will inspire more Indians to join sports and inspire organisations to come forward and support champions like Kom. The ‘Crowd Funding for Social Development in Sports’ initiative was started with the launch of its website http://needforchampions.com/.
Former Indian Hockey captain Viren Rasquinha who too was present at the occasion felt that in order to pick up the right talent it was important to find the talent at the junior level and after finding the same a personalised structured support system should be put in place.
EdelGive Foundation CEO Vidya Shah said that by partnering with OGQ, EdelGive has managed to consistently provide aspiring young India, an opportunity to mainstream their sports careers. “We take pride in partnering with Mary Kom in her success story and it is our endeavour to create many more ‘Mary Koms’ in the future, ” she added.
Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance CEO Deepak Mittal sees the initiative as an extension of the company’s vision to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of every Indian. “The amount received shows the increasing connect towards alternate sports in India. We hope that in this small way we will be able to help attract more aspiring sportspeople towards sports other than main stream ones in India,” he concluded.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
