MOSQUE IN INDIA OPEN ITS DOOR TO WOMEN BOXERS.

Women's boxing, officially introduced in India in 2000, has become an established sport. For the first time, a mosque in India, has opened its door to female boxers.

The General Secretary of the mosque in the West Bengal province, Mehmood Hossain, said they want more Muslim girls to join their Boxing classes:

“The world is changing, the girls also want to be at the forefront.”

“The game is changing the role of identity of the Muslim girls in their community. At least eight Muslim girls among thirty boys enrolled their name in boxing and they will start their practice classes in the Durgapore Mosque ground”.

There are over 150 women boxers in India today, but the majority of those hailing are Muslim girls who have come out of the shadows.

Over half of Muslim women in urban India are illiterate and less than 1% of them are graduates.

Even government reports concede that Muslim women are among the "poorest, educationally disenfranchised, economically vulnerable, politically marginalized group" in India.

Around the world women's boxing is viewed, by many, with skepticism and sometimes downright hostility. In India most of the female boxers have had to overcome stiff objections from their families and local communities.

Last year, the Indian Boxing Federation welcomed International Olympic Council's decision to draft in women boxing in the 2012 London Games, calling it a shot in the arm for India's quest for success at the highest level.

Not surprisingly, it wasn't easy to get Muslim girls to take up boxing.

“Bengali girls are inspired by the decision of the International Olympic Committee. Laila AliLaila Ali is the magic name that inspires many women boxers to join the boxing field, specially the Muslim girls in our country” said 30 year old Razia Shabnam, India's first Muslim woman boxer-turned-coach and international referee.

Shabnam and three other women were the first to come out of their homes and make the difficult trip to the coaching ring.

Hossain said believes boxing is one of several avenues that have opened up to poor Muslim women across a modernizing India.

He adds: “It’s a way for the girls to earn money and hope for a better future.”