Aheibam Borchand Singh : A pioneer of Indian Football

Dayaraj Aheibam *

Many times Manipur has been called as the ''Sport Powerhouse Of India'' and in fact this is sayings can be described as many world class player such as Mirabai Chanu, Mary Kom, etc were born and raised in Manipur. The manipuris are not only concentrated in these Olympics Game only.

The state also take a huge role on Indian Football. From L Bala devi who plays in Europe to Rennedy Singh who captained Indian National Football team from 2009-11, Manipur is home to these great players. In 2017 U17 FIFA WORLD CUP hosted by India, 8 players from Manipur were selected to represent the Indian National Team.

Oinam Bembem Devi was conferred with the Arjuna Award by the Govt. Of India. Manipur is not only home to these great players but also people such as Aheibam Borchand Singh who helped in laying the foundation of Indian Football are from Manipur .

Aheibam Borchand was thrice Manager of Indian football teams during the Asian Under-16 championship in Dhaka (1993), 10th Asian women’s meet in Malaysia in 1995 and the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998. He was appointed Observer of the National Team during the World Cup Asia group qualifiers in 1998.

Apart from holding various AIFF panels, the resident of Lalambung Makhong Soram Leirak in Imphal West district was also a Secretary of the North Eastern Football Development Forum.

He was also involved in other sports organisations too, including Life Membership in the All Manipur Volleyball Association.

Aheibam Borchand was
o Secretary of the Youth Physiques Union (1968-73),
o Governing Body Member of the All Manipur Sports Association (AMSA) from 1968 to 1973,
o Football Secretary of the AMSA (1973-75),
o General Secretary of the AMSA (2000-04) and
o Treasurer in the early days of the Manipur Olympic Association.

Aheibam Borchand is one of the founding member of AMFA. He was the secretary of the AMFA from 1985 to 1988 and for a second term from October 1991 till he breathed his last.

Starting his association with the world’s most popular sport in the sixties as a class-II referee, the certificate-holder in FIFA sports administration became the first person from the Northeast to hold the vice-president’s post in the All India Football Federation (AIFF) from 1997 to 2000.

In fact Aheibam Borchand Singh is a very sports loving person. He passed away on 15th December 2004. He lived a life dedicated for the development of Indian Football.