N Romoni : Football in Manipur & The Woman Pele
- Saluting The Veterans -
Ratneshwori Goswami / Iboyaima Laithangbam *
N Romoni : Football in Manipur & The Woman Pele (Inset) :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao
N Romoni was crowned the best player in the year 1983-84 during the eight senior national football championships. She scored the winning goal against Bengal. Her skill lies in the left leg. Her performance in the final match astounded a coach from Goa who ran out to the field to lift Romoni in the air and gave her the title 'Women Pele of India'.
She outmaneuvered three opponent players through her skillful tactics of carrying the ball and hit the net with her left leg in swift action which also prompted her team coach Ibohanbi to lift her in the air and yelled victory.
Romoni's last appearance in a football match dates back to 1996 at Haflong. In the year 1997, she was not satisfied with the selection team of AMFA who dropped her but was selected following a complaint.
However she did not play as she was displeased with the treatment. Since then she was not seen in any match but was spotted as an audience in the 1999 National Games held at Imphal. Romoni seldom expresses her feelings and thoughts but deep inside she seems to have stayed strong and high spirited.
On the brighter side she is presently coaching the Imphal West girls' team of Subroto Mukherjee tournament. Mention may also be made that O Bembem who is presently playing as a captain of the Indian Women football team was trained by Romoni.
Blast from the Past: Remembering the Scoring Days
Though a small State, the boys and girls of Manipur have excelled in sports and many of them are in the national team bringing laurels to India in numerous international tournaments. If the sportspersons of Manipur are given encouragement to the extent given to PT Usha many of them will surely bring credit to the country.
N Romoni, a noted woman footballer is a promising girl who is being denied financial assistance despite the fact that she has performed well for the country in international matches. It is a foregone conclusion that due to lack of patronage, she will not be able to make full use of her talent.
During the 10th Senior National Women 's Football Championship held in Imphal, Romoni was adjudged the "Woman of the match". Again, after the conclusion of the All India Women's Football Federation Championship held at Tinsukia in Assam, Romoni was adjudged the best player of the tourney.
At the moment, Romoni is the right striker of the Manipur women's football team. The dribblings of Romoni are to be seen to be believed. In every match opponents make it a point to engage some players to check her.
Romoni, a student of the G.P Women's College in Imphal is a shy, lithe and beautiful. She started playing football in the late 70's on a playground near her house ; about four kilometres from Imphal. She was selected for the district football team in Manipur in 1978 and it proved to be morale booster for her.
Her talent was quickly recognised, for, in 1979 she was selected for the Nationals held at Lucknow. In 1981, she became an international player and played in the third Asian Cup held at Calicut.
In June 1981, she again represented India at the IV Asian Cup played in Hong Kong and in October, the same year, she played in the World Cup tournament held in Taipei. Besides, she has been a State regular in National Tournaments.
The international Press has rightly described Romoni as the "Pele of the women's football". Apart from lack of proper training facilities, Romoni also does not practise daily since it is a bit difficult to come by cycle down all the way to Khuman Lampak (about six km from her house) in the morning.
The State Government which spends lakhs of rupees every month on video filming its "achievement" has no money for such deserving players of international repute. But then, Romoni has not even sought any assistance from the government. In view of the lack of patronage from the State Government, Romoni knows that her primary concern should be to finish her education and then get a job for financial security.
(Courtesy: Weekend Review)
* Ratneshwori Goswami / Iboyaima Laithangbam wrote this article for Hueiyen Lanpao
This article was posted on August 12, 2015.
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