Sports
Mary Kom to be brand ambassador of northeast
The central government will appoint Olympic medallist boxer M.C. Mary
Kom as the brand ambassador for northeast India to promote the region in
the rest of the country and abroad, officials said on Sunday.
"Under
the leadership of DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Minister
Jitendra Singh, a committee earlier shortlisted the names of some famous
personalities before selecting the brand ambassador for the north
eastern region."
"Finally, the DoNER ministry decided to appoint
Mary Kom as the brand ambassador of the region," a Tripura sports
department official told IANS.
He said: "Mary Kom as brand
ambassador of the northeast India would promote the region to the rest
of India and abroad, and highlight the issues of the region comprising
eight states."
Mary, 32, who hails from Manipur, is a five-time
world amateur boxing champion and the only woman boxer to have won a
medal in each of the six world championships.
Also a mother of
three, Mary Kom recently announced in Imphal that she would quit the
sport after the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next year.
The cultural
tradition of Manipur is sports-oriented and the state, as a result, has
produced many athletes. Mary Kom cemented the north-eastern state's
position as a powerhouse of talent with her 2012 Olympic bronze.
Winning
medals in many international and national meets, the Hindi film
industry made a movie based on her life, starring actor Priyanka Chopra.
Addressing
the 10th North East Business Summit on Friday in New Delhi, Singh said:
"The government wanted a person who would showcase various aspects of
the region, including life, culture and business. A person who was not
only an icon locally but also a source of motivation for the youth of
the northeast in the country and abroad."
An official announcement in this regard would be made soon, Singh said.
According
to a global consultancy report, northeast India offers business
opportunities worth Rs.2.4 trillion among various sectors.