TODAY -

Interview with Indian Sepak Takraw Player Oinam Chaoba Devi

Khuman *

 Oinam Chaoba Devi
Photo Courtsey:- Oinam Chaoba Devi



Manipur with its capital Imphal city has been the “Power House of Sports” since its merger to India and in recently happened 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, out of 5 players in the Indian Women’s Sepak Takraw team, 4 players are from Manipur (Meitei Chanuras). Among them OINAM CHAOBA DEVI is one. She is an Indian professional sepak takraw player from Hiyanglam Waikhom Leikai, Manipur.

E-pao: - First of all, we would like to congratulate you and your whole team.
Chaoba: - Thank you so much for encouraging us like this.

E-pao: - Please share how you started your career.
Chaoba: -Happy to share with the readers how I started my career. I started playing since 2004 and one of the sisters from the locality introduced me to this sport. Her name is Manibala. I started playing under her guidance in the Social Welfare Club (SWC), Hiyanglam Waikhom Leikai.

Then from time-to-time start participating in many tournaments. I faced lots of challenges in the starting like travelling as we are from far away from the city challenges in transportation service and financial support too. I took these challenges make me to work more to achieve my goals.

E-pao: - Please highlight your sports achievements.
Chaoba: - Thank you so much for covering my sports achievements.

SUB-JUNIOR NATIONAL

Sl. No. Championship State Position
1 6th Sub-Junior National Championship, 2004 -6th to 8th Feb 2004 Karnataka (Hubli) Team-Gold ; Regu-Silver
2 7th Sub-Junior National Championship, 2004- 28th to 30th Dec. 2004 Goa Team-Gold; Regu-Gold


JUNIOR NATIONAL

Sl. No. Championship State Position
1 9th Junior National Championship, 2005 -6th to 8th Oct. 2004 Haryana Team-Gold ; Regu-Gold
2 10th Junior National Championship, 2006- 24th to 28th Dec. 2006 Chandigarh Team-Gold ; Regu-Gold
3 11th Junior National Championship, 2007- 21st to 24th Sept. 2007 Rajasthan Team-Gold ; Regu-Silver


INTER-SAI

Sl. No. Championship State Position
1 2nd All India Sai inter Regional Championship, 2009-24th to 27th Aug. 2009 Dimapur(Nagaland) Gold


FEDERATION CUP

Sl. No. Championship State Position
1 6th Sepak Takraw Federation Cup, 2015- 2nd to 4th Oct. 2015 Odisha Regu-Gold ; Double-Gold


SENIOR NATIONAL

Sl. No. Championship State Position
1 20th Senior National Championship, 2009-29th Dec to 1st Jan. 2010 Delhi Team-Gold
2 21st Senior National Championship, 2010-19th to 22nd Sept. 2010 Guwahati (Assam) Team-Gold ; Regu-Gold
3 22nd Senior National Championship, 2012-15th to 18th March, 2012 Cuttack (Odisha) Team-Gold
4 23rd Senior National Championship, 2012- 23rd to 26th Nov. 2012 Andhra Pradesh Team-Gold ; Regu-Gold
5 24th Senior National Championship, 2013-15th to 18th Oct. 2013 Kohima (Nagaland) Team-Gold
6 26th Senior National Championship, 2016 -2nd to 5th Feb. 2016 Nadgoan (Goa) Regu-Gold ; Double-Gold
7 29th Senior National Championship, 2019- 2nd to 6th Jan. 2019 Jodhpur (Rajasthan) Team-Gold
8 30th Senior National Championship, 2019-28th Dec to 3rd Jan 2019 Ranchi (Jharkhand) Team-Silver ; Regu-Gold
9 31st Senior National Championship, 2021-21st to 25th Nov. 2021 Punjab Team-Silver ; Regu-Gold
10 32nd Senior National Championship, 2022-16th to 20th Oct. 2022 West Bengal Team-Gold ; Regu- Gold


NATIONAL GAMES

Sl. No. Championship State Position
1 34th National Games, 2011- 12th to 26th Feb. 2011 Jharkhand (Ranchi) Team-Gold


ASIAN GAMES

Sl. No. Championship Country Position
1 17th Asian Games, 2014 Korea (Incheon) Participate
2 18th Asian Games, 2018 Indonesia Participate
3 19th Asian Games, 2022 Hangzhou (China) Regu-Bronze


INTERNATIONAL

Sl. No. Championship Country Position
1 ISTAF Super Series World Championship, 2013- 29th Aug to 1st Sept. 2013 New Delhi Participate
2 28th King’s Cup World Championship, 2013 -16th to 22nd Sept. 2013 Udonthani (Thailand) Regu-Gold Double-Silver Team-Bronze)
3 ISTAF Super Series World Championship, 2013- 26th to 29th Sept, 2013 Fashion Island (Bangkok) Participate
4 29th King;s Cup World Championship, 2014 -4th to 10th Aug. 2014 Fashion Island (Bangkok) Team-Silver
5 ISTAF Super Series World Championship, 2014- 5th to 9th March, 2014 Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) Participate
6 2nd Asian World Championship, 2016-10th to 13th March, 2016 Jeong Sup (South Korea) Participate
7 31st King;s Cup World Championship, 2016 -17th to 23rd Oct. 2016 Bangkok (Thailand) Double-Bronze Medal
8 13th Internationaux De France World Championship, 2017-13th to 16th July, 2017 Strassbourg (France) Runner Up
9 32nd King’s Cup World Championship, 2017-11th to 17th Dec. 2017 Bangkok (Thailand) Participate
10 34th King’s Cup World Championship, 2019-25th Aug. to 1st Sept. 2019 Bangkok (Thailand) Participate
11 ISTAF World Cup, 2022-25th to 29th Nov. 2022 Daejeon (Korea) Women Quad (Bronze) ; Mixed Quad (Gold Medal)


 Oinam Chaoba Devi
Photo Courtsey:- Oinam Chaoba Devi



E-pao: -Please share us how you get ready yourself for the 2022 Asian Games participation?
Chaoba: - Yes, I did hard-work with full dedication to get selected for the 2022 Asian Games. We went to Camp in Goa for around a month. Held Camp in Thailand for 45 days and spent in Delhi around 23 days training. I can say it is not easy to get selected from the national level to international tournaments. Finally, Indian Team won the Bronze Medal and this is everything for the entire team hard-work.

E-pao: -To whom you would like to dedicate or credit for your success?
Chaoba: - This one is very tough to answer (she smiled). Since the beginning of my career, every family member supported me. They always motivated me to be successful in my journey. Firstly, thanks to my lovely family.

I would like to thank Oja Muhindro because he guided me a lot since 2008. Then, I would also like to thank all the coaches I met in my journey for their priceless guidance and advice. I would also like to thank all the sports lovers who supported directly and indirectly.

E-pao: -Chaoba, we would also like to know about your daily routine.
Chaoba: - Yes, maintaining daily routine is very important. It is also a kind of discipline for every player. Generally, I used to practice at Khuman Lampak. I also faced many challenges while coming to practice like a transportation problem as I don’t have my own vehicle and sometimes a financial problem too. Even though I have all these challenges I never quite to go to practice and achieve my target. Here comes the importance of hard-work, dedication and discipline.

E-pao: -Please share what your future plans are.
Chaoba: - In the future I will share and dedicate everything for the aspirants in Sepak Takraw sport.

E-pao: -Your message to the aspiring youths.
Chaoba: - I don’t have much to say to all of them (she smiled). I would like to suggest them that whenever do anything or love any kind of sport just play it with full dedication, even though there are many challenges. Never demotivate yourself. Never give-up in life.

E-pao: -Chaoba, wishing you all the best in the times to come and thank you so much.
Chaoba: - My pleasure for taking this special session. This is one of the best encouragement and motivation from your team.

See a full photo gallery of Oinam Chaoba here


* Khuman conducted this interview for e-pao.net sometime in November 2023
This article was webcasted on December 22 2023.



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