10 inspiring facts that you didn't know about the Asian champion boxer Mary Kom

As she wins the championship, here's a list of 10 inspiring facts about the world boxing champion. (Photo | PTI)

Mary Kom comes from a small village in Manipur. Her parents were poor agricultural labourers, who lived in a hut-like house. Mary shared a tiny bedroom with her two sisters and a brother. Growing up, it was rare for her to have fish or meat in her diet, her parents could not afford it. (Photo | PTI)

Mary was interested in athletics from a young age. She switched to boxing after being inspired by Dingko Singh from Manipur who won a gold medal at the Asian Games in 1998. (Photo | PTI)

Mary did not tell her parents that she was training to become a boxer. When Mary’s father found out, he tried to dissuade her from boxing. He told her, “With a battered and bruised face you should not expect to get married.” She also met with disapproval from her clan members and was ridiculed by boys in her hometown. (Photo | AP)

She is the first Indian female boxer to qualify for and win a medal in the Olympics. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 summer Olympics held in London, United Kingdom. (Photo | PTI)

Mary is a five time World Amateur Boxing champion. She is the only female boxer to win a medal in 6 consecutive world championships. (Photo | AP)

Unbreakable is the autobiography of Mary Kom that has been co-authored by Dina Serto and published by Harper Collins in the year 2013. (Photo | PTI)

In the year 2016, Mary was nominated by the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee to become a member of Rajya Sabha which is the upper house of Indian Parliament. (Photo | PTI)

Apart from her active involvement in boxing, Mary Kom is an animal rights activist and supports PETA. She was seen in an advertisement for ending elephants in circuses. (Photo | PTI)

She has won Padma Shree Award in 2006, Padma Bhusan Award in 2013 and Arjuna Award in 2003. Apart from that, Mary has won numerous other awards and accolades for her contribution to boxing. (Photo | PTI)

In 2014, a biopic movie was released about the life of Mary Kom. In that picture, Priyanka Chopra played the leading role and was directed by Omung Kumar. The movie paved way for the biopic movies later on in the Bollywood industry. (Youtube Grab)