Thadou students on the conduct of "International Tribal Games (ITG)" in Bengaluru

Bengaluru 21st February 2015

The Thadou Tribe (Manipur) students in Bengaluru, on behalf of the Manipur Representative participate in the first ever "INTERNATIONAL TRIBAL GAMES (ITG)" in Kaanteerava Stadium, Kasturba Road, Bengaluru from 18th – 19th February, 2015. The event was an initiative of "Touching Soul"- an NGO based in Delhi and organized by Essensia Event Management, Delhi. It was also supported by the Govt. of Karnataka and sponsored by GAIL, ARTS, NALCO, INDIAN OIL, VIZAG, THE EMINENCE GROUPE, THE ACE INDIA, RAO AIR TRAVELS, ONGC AND RCF Companies.

The representative of Manipur was to be organized by Ms. Tara Manchin Hangzo, who came all the way from Manipur. She was entrusted by the Mr. Ashfhag who is the Personal Assistant of Shri. Oscar Fernandez, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha through "Trusting Soul" – A Delhi based NGO.

"Due to shortage of funds, in the eleventh hour, I was assign to form Manipur Delegates among the Tribal people who are living in Bengaluru so as to minimize the budget as requested by Sabina" said Ms. Tara Manchin Hangzo to the TSA-B. "The proposal, at first was to be 30 Athletes from Manipur Tribal wherein the Logistics and Transportation will be fully funded by the ITC but the promised was in vain" Manchin added.

The delegates from Manipur was to be 30 in numbers but due to the crunch in funding and long distance .The organizers cancelled at the last minute causing misunderstanding and disappointments says Ms. Tara Manchin Hangzo, of Manipur. She was entrusted with the responsibility of sourcing participants from the local Manipuri populace living in Bangalore itself ultimately that's how the the Thadou student participated.

Even though the invitation was just one day ahead of the event, the TSA-B managed to represent Manipur Team, coordinated by Ms. Manchin. Transportation and Logistics served by the event management was not well managed. We also have not received the Shoes which were to be distributed. We also express our complete dissatisfaction to this ITG. There were no foreign participants to be seen in the event. The question is who is this event organizer for because we felt used and exploited? It's a show for the organizers and the local residents were not in attendance.

How much money has been spent for this event? What was the budget for the delegates and the entire event? The "Touching Souls" have also cheated two local co-coordinator of this event who didn't turn-up due to non-payment of funds & frustration.

We strongly condemned such fake events organized in the name of tribals. In spite of promoting the tribal people, they misuse the funds. They take the opportunity of the Tribal influences from the Government and vested it for their selfish ends! We want it to be organized by the tribal student bodies as the event is for the tribal why were the NGO and the event manager from Delhi. Bangalore has its own resources.

We wish concerned authority look into the matter in the interest of the Tribal people and for end of justice.

On behalf of the TSA-B,
( Shri. Michael Haokip)
President, TSA-B Thadou Students' Association, Bengaluru