Skipper Bembem Devi goes out on a high
Source: The Sangai Express / Agencies
Imphal, February 17 2016:
he glow suddenly vanished
from her face when Oinam
Bembem Devi was asked about
her job and her rank in Manipur
Police.
"Please don't ask me,"
she said.
Finally, after repeated
requests she opened up.
Are
you an Assistant Sub
Inspector? No, she said
nodding her head.
Head
Constable? Yes.
India skipper Bembem,
who has won many battles
for India over the last two
decades, said she has got
just one promotion after join-
ing the State police 17 years
back.
"I joined as a trainee in
1999 and was regularized in
the rank of constable in 2000.
Nine years later I got pro-
moted to head constable and
that was it.
I spoke to the
Government officials many
times about this but nothing
happened," the 35-year-old
said here after playing her
final match in India colors
that saw her country winning
another gold medal at the
South Asian Games.
At the Jawaharlal Nehru
Stadium here on Monday, the
curtains came down on one
of the storied careers in In-
dian football.
"During my
time it was very difficult to
convince my father to allow
me to play football.
There
were not many ladies playing
and I began playing with the
boys," she recalled.
That was back in 1991 and
soon Bembem was picked to
represent Manipur U-13
squad.
"It was always diffi-
cult to get into the State team
in Manipur as there would al-
ways be 30-40 players who
were very good.
The selec-
tors often admit that it is
really tough to pick a squad,"
she said.
A majority of players in
the Indian squad are from
Manipur - seven Manipuri
girls played in the final
against Nepal which India
won 4-0.
'It was a parting gift from
the girls' Bembem said the win on
Monday was the best possi-
ble way to hang up her boots
by playing her last match in
front of a packed stadium.
"This was the first time I've
played before such a large
crowd in my life.
This was
the best moment in my career
as I played before so many
fans," she said.
"The girls had promised
me that they would win the
gold for me and delivered the
promise," a beaming India
skipper said.
Asked about her future
plans, Bembem Devi, who
has completed AFC-B license
course, said she is open to
any offer from the All India
Football Federation to train
the youngsters.
"I will be
happy if the AIFF wants me
to train the U-14 or U-16
side," Devi said.
Star striker Kamala Devi
was happy that the squad
gave a fitting gift to her child-
hood hero.
"I grew up hearing
didi's name on radio and
that's how I got inspired to
play for the country," she
said.