Tracing historical trajectory of sports
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 28 2015 :
Manipur has been projected as a powerhouse of sports but how did the state managed to achieve this feat? The answer to this simple question has been more or less given adequate focus by Oja Soram Lokeshwor while delivering the 6th Dr Thingnam Kishan Memorial Lecture here at Youth Hostel auditorium, Khuman Lampak, Sports Complex.
Soram Lokeshwar, who is also former Principal of Manipur College, Imphal unraveled the historical factors that have impacted sporting tradition in Manipur.
While doing so, he had covered the genesis of the indigenous games as represented in lore, legends and other narratives.
He also delves into various forms of indigenous games, perhaps indicating the fact that these were part of the contributory foundation for the dawn on easy adoption to modern forms of sports.
Soram Lokeshwar also seems to lament the fact that except for a handful of traditional sports, majority of the items have been relegated to some sort of "ornamental and museum pieces" since they no longer have the intimate relation that they once had with the people.
He also acknowledges the contribution of King Churachand Singh KCSI, CBE for charting the path to the adoption of modern games.
He however, stressed the point that taking forward the momentum of sporting movement would immensely gain from first acknowledging various contributions made by many sporting luminaries in the past.
The memorial lecture was chaired by veteran journalist Ningthoukhongjam Tombiraj; Dr Gurumayum Satyabhama, Asst.
Prof.RKSDV, B.Ed College, Imphal; Mayanglambam Romen Singh, Senior Sports Journalist and Maibam Chourjit Singh, Asst.
Prof.Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, MU were discussants on the occasion.