MU felicitates state's Tokyo Olympics participants
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 22 2021:
All the five players of Manipur who participated at the Tokyo Olympics-2020 were felicitated by Manipur University on Sunday and encouraged them to achieve more success in their future sporting endeavours.
The felicitation ceremony for silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, bronze medallist Shanglakpam Nilakanta Sharma, women hockey player Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu, judoka Likmabam Sushila Devi and boxer MC Mary Kom was held at the MU centenary hall.
Mary Kom, however, could not attend the ceremony due to prior engagement.
Manipur Olympic Association president and MLA Th Radhesiiyam, who attended the event as chief guest, said that Manipur is known as powerhouse of sports and Tokyo Olympics-2020 upheld this saying.
Manipuris have talents in every field and it would not be difficult for talented people of the land to excel in the international level if their talents are harnessed and guided properly.
People of the state have been facing an atmosphere of fear and anxiety due to COVID-19 pandemic but the five Olympians brought smile on the faces of every citizen of the state as if giving another life, he said and stressed the need for conducting research under MU to identify games in which people of the state could excel at international sporting events.
It is the dream of every player to win medal at Olympics but participation in the Olympics itself is like achieving that dream.
Performance of players from Manipur who represented India in the just concluded Tokyo games made not just the state but also the entire people of the country proud, he said and thanked the players from his side.
MU vice chancellor professor Naorem Loken, in his speech, said Manipur despite its smallness in size and population has set many records in the field of sports and it has produced 19 Olympians from 1984 to 2020.Many players of the state have also bagged prestigious national awards like Khel Ratna, Arjuna award, Dornacharya award and Dhyanchand life time award, he said adding that Manipur University has been shouldering responsibility in the field of sports by opening Physical Education and Sports Science department when the university was upgraded to a central institute Saikhom Mirabai, in her speech, said that every player could become Olympian if family members extend support.
Apart from expressing that it is her desire to provide proper training facility and accommodation to players hailing from far flung and remote areas, Mirabai said she wants Manipur University to shoulder responsibility in producing quality players.
Narrating his medal winning journey, Nilakanta Sharma said that COVID-19 pandemic gave a big blow to team training but provided enough time to stay together and study game strategy of top hockey teams of the world.
Difficulties faced in preparation for the Olympics, however, yanished for some moments when the team won a medal at the biggest sporting event of the world, he recalled and expressed hope that youth of the state could be saved from drugs and intoxicants if they are drawn more into sports activities.
Sushila Chanu also narrated difficulties she faced while preparing for the Olympics and disclosed that she along with some team members contracted COVID-19.This affected confidence and moral of the team but finishing fourth in Tokyo was a big achievement indeed and felt proud for the performance, she added.
Judoka Sushila said that she will work hard to win a medal in the next Olympic Games to be held at Paris.
She also said that felicitation ceremony organised by Manipur University for the state's Olympians has given her a new spirit to win a medal at Paris Olympics-2024 .