Mary Kom asks women to learn martial arts to for self defence

Women should take up martial arts to defend themselves from incidents such as the Delhi gang-rape, Olympic bronze medalist boxer MC Mary Kom has said and given the example of a rickshaw driver whom she taught a lesson for making lewd remarks at her.

"Martial arts should not be taken up only as a sport. I urge all women to take up martial arts so that they can defend themselves to some extent," Mary said.

"If I can box why can't you all? I urge women of this region to take up the sport," she said.

Mary said "I had beaten up a rickshawala sometime ago. When he started using filthy language, I lost my cool," she said, without specifying when and where the incident took place.

Mary was speaking at the Darjeeling Tea and Tourism Festival on Thursday.

Mary’s husband K Kom, who was present, said "It doesn’t feel nice to see my wife getting beaten up. But after so many years of boxing, we are getting used to the fact that she is involved in a sport."