Mary's kind gesture to Pradipkumar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 17 2012: As a token of encouragement, Olympics bronze medallist MC Mary Kom will give a certain amount to body builder Khundrakpam Pradipkumar Singh.

Despite being an HIV positive, Pradipkumar recently bagged Mr South Asia title and he is undergoing intense training for the 4th Mr World championship scheduled in the first week of December in Bangkok.

Pradip (43) is said to have been facing acute financial shortage to procure nutritional diet as he spends around Rs 40,000 in procuring foreign nutritional diet every month.

Pradipkumar's financial woes worsened after Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS) had stopped extending nutritional aid of Rs 8000 per month since June this year.

Pradip used to get the said amount from MACS when he was the brand ambassador of the Society.

Moreover, the State Government is yet to upgrade him to a regular employee in the Youth Affairs and Sports Department.

Mary Kom (L) and Khundrakpam Pradipkumar (R)

Regarding Pradip's success, Mary Kom said, "We are really proud of him (Pradip) for his extra ordinary performance shown to the world with bagging the Mr South Asia title" .

"At the same time we are not happy with the acute financial suffering being faced by him for which we have decided to extend certain amount to him as a token of encouragement to at least meet a small part of his requirement towards his participation in the forthcoming Mr World contest in Bangkok," the five-time world boxing champion said.

Mary said the amount would be handed over to Pradip on November 20 in a formal function in which her local boxing coaches and other well wishers would also be feted.

On Mary Kom's goodwill gesture, Pradipkumar said, "I'm really happy with the kind gesture being extended by sister Mary Kom.

Whatever amount to be given to me in my utmost requirement time is priceless.

"Though the Government has neglected me, there are many kind hearted men like sister Mary and other individuals and groups.

I'll try my best to bag laurel from the ensuing Bangkok completion and such prize would be my return to the people of Manipur who wholeheartedly encourage me ," Pradip added.

Before taking part in the 9th Mr South Asia Body Building Championship 2012 held at Ludhiana, Punjab in November first week, members of Self Support Group (SSG), a body formed by HIV positive widows of the State carried out a donation campaign and handed over Rs 90,000 to Pradip.

A local civil body christened, Joint Brothers Group also donated him Rs 1.5 lakh after organising a housie for his cause.

A resident of Khamnam Leirak in Imphal West district, Pradipkumar revealed his HIV status after bagging senior Mr Manipur title in December 2007 .

He also won silver and a bronze in different national competitions and stood 8th position in Mr World competition.

Manipur is one of the six HIV/AIDS prevalence States of the country.

According to MACS, the State has 38,016 people infected with HIV including 10,109 women and 2,578 children.