Sushila laments over indifferent attitude of State Govt
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 09, 2013: Though Manipur is known all over the world as the powerhouse of sports in India, the State Government do not know how to encourage its own sportspersons, Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu, who captained the successful Junior women national team in the just concluded ERGO Hockey Junior World Cup at M�nchengladbach, Germany, lamented.

While other Indian States are pouring appreciations, awards and accolades on their hockey players who were part of the Junior women National team, the Government of Manipur has just remained as a silent spectator, the 21-year old hockey player told Hueiyen Lanpao in an exclusive interview.

She pointed out that it was after a gap of 38 years that India has won a medal in a world cup and in celebration of this historic win many states have announced awards and accolades for the players of their respective states.

Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu, who captained the successful Junior women national team .

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for Rani Rampal, who bagged 'Player of the Tournament' apart from cash award of Rs 5 lakh each to other six players while Odisha Government has announced a cash award of Rs 1.25 Lakh each to its four players in the team.

But the Government of Manipur has even failed to acknowledge the feat and utter even a single word of appreciation to its four players namely Th Pinky Devi (Defender), P Sushila Chanu (Midfielder/Captain), Lily Chanu Mayengbam (Forward) and Ningombam Sanarik Chanu (Goalkeeper), who were in the National team.

The young skipper went on to point out that Hockey is the National Game of the country.

However, due to some bitter experiences in the past and lack of attention from the side of government, people have turned their attention to Cricket.

But surely with this achievement of winning the first medal by the Junior woman National hockey team, the earlier passion of Hockey could be reinstalled among the people again, she added.

When asked about the World Cup, the starry-eyed girl recalled that it was a strong combination of 13 senior and 5 junior players.

But 'we were confident of winning a medal since the early days of the cup and did the same.

However, due to lack of climatic acclimatization we lost in the first match played against Australia, but regain soon to adjust for bronze match against England.

Sushila, who started playing hockey in the year 2003 joined Posterior Hockey Academy Manipur and received initial training from Kshetrimayum Romesh Singh of Singjamei Akampat.

Besides, she got trained under two more coaches namely Chandikumar and late Herojit before joining the national team in 2008. Soon after she started playing hockey, Sushila represented Manipur in many junior and sub-junior national events.

She got selected for training at Women Hockey Academy, Gwalior after her performance in the Sub-Junior National Championship-2006 at Bangalore, Karnataka.

In her 10-year of life with hockey, Sushila has so far played in Sub-Junior Asia Cup, China; New Zealand Test Match, New Zealand and Youth Olympic Festival, Australia.

Her performance in the Holland Round 3 match paved the way to lead the national team in ERGO junior world cup and become the first women skipper from the state.

Since childhood Sushila, who is the second daughter of P Shyamsundar Singh and P (O) Lata Devi of Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai took active part in almost all the sporting competitions organised at the local club or school level.

Induced with her love for sports, she even contested in school union election and got elected as Games and Sports Secretary in Lilasingh Khongnangkhong High School.

For the last 3 (three) years, she is working at Central Railways Mumbai.

Along with three other women hockey players from the State, Sushila would be leaving for Patiala on 14th of this month for trial selection camp of the forthcoming Asia Cup scheduled to be held in the month of September, 2013 .