Nenegneihat: The next Kom from Mary's stable

MUMBAI: Eighteen-year-old S Nengneihat Kom has battled everything from hunger, homelessness, loss of loved ones and poverty. She never had a choice, but to be brave in the face of adversity. However, the experience of being collectively attacked by eager shutterbugs on Monday evening seemed a far more daunting prospect for the flyweight pugilist. Luckily for her, her guide, teacher and family — MC Mary Kom, was around.
As the media encircled the Olympic bronze medalist and her husband and new kid, Nenegneihat — the Manipur state champion in 48kg category — was relegated to the background as 'the boy with the pram'.
"She is talented, but media shy. She can't speak English yet," said Mary Kom's husband, Onler Karong, as Nenegneihat continued to look busy steering the baby around and overhearing Mary talk about boxing and films.
"She is making the switch to senior category and it has been rather good," he said. Her aggressive style coupled with exceptional footwork has already made her a feared opponent. In the Confederations Cup last year, Nenegneihat won gold in the flyweight (48 kg) category in Guwahati. However, for Mary and Onler, Nenegneihat remains special for other reasons.
Having spotted her in 2006, in the remote village of Shamolamlan, the couple took her under their wings and groomed her. "She was Mary's first student. The first time we saw her, she was wearing a small scarf and was steering a hoard of buffaloes all by herself. We had gone to Shamolamlan to visit relatives and we heard about this talented athlete in school. Her father had expired when she was just three months old and four years later, she lost her mother too. She was living in a one-room thatched hut with her sister," recalled Onler.
"We requested her sister to allow us to take her to our home. She was very happy. We tried to groom her academically too. But after she flunked all 13 subjects for two years in a row, we decided she was better off boxing," he added.
Despite being pregnant with her twins, Mary continued to train Nenegneihat. "People thought we were crazy, but we knew she was worth all our efforts," said Onler. That year, Nenegneihat won the sub-junior state gold and was named best boxer. It's been a steady rise for the youngster since.
"We plan to get her to train at Patiala, Pune, or in Manipur by April next year. We would like her to follow in Mary's footsteps. She wants to be the next Mary Kom," he said. "Being under the OGQ umbrella for the last one year has bolstered her chances. But for kids like her the fight never ends."
As the evening drew to an end, Mary Kom expressed her concerns about the AIBA-IBF tussle and its impact on the likes of Nenegneihat. "I feel very upset. I hope this issue is resolved because it will affect these youngsters. I have proved myself, but what about boxers like her," she said.