The Liangmai Sports Extravaganza 2016

Timothy Wijunamai *

The mega sports event for the Liangmai community living in Assam, Manipur & Nagaland is round the corner, this time at Makhan Village, Manipur. Despite the nomenclature, participation from Assam has been passive since inception.

However, the hype and fever for the event is immense especially among the Liangmai youths in Manipur and Nagaland.

The Liangmai Sports Association (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) organizes its meet once in every two years at different venues alternating between Manipur and Naga-land.

The Makhan Village, Senapati District Manipur is all set to host the upcoming 24th LSA meet from 11th to 21st January 2016. Most of the clubs practices and prepares months ahead of the tournament which also indicates the popularity of the event.

On an average, 35-40 clubs from various villages usually participates in the past and it gets better every given year. Nothing less is expected this season too.

Football and Volleyball games for both male and female are the big ones in the tournament apart from individual games such as; High Jump, Long Jump, Shot-put etc. Not to deny the fact that, male football dominates rest of the games and steals the show of all quite often and it carries the highest prize tag than any other games.

Unfortunately, the popularity of LSA seems to have confined just within the Liangmai Community due to lack of promotional and advertisement activities, perhaps.

Nevertheless, there have been many sporting talents from the Liangmai community especially in football who have made it to state or regional levels. Those achievements without a doubt are LSA products.

Though the LSA or Liangmai as a people hasn’t formed its own football team (professional) in spite of abundant pool of talents, several Liangmai youths represented for state and regional clubs in Manipur and Nagaland.

Few of them are playing for some top football clubs in the region even today. In the last NSF martyrs’ trophy season, 5-6 combined liangmai boys played in the final match representing their respective clubs.

Likewise, many of our boys played in Nagaland Premier League for different clubs bringing laurels to their clubs and state at large.

The potentials and talents in our youths are a proven fact. It cannot be wrong to predict that there are still lots of untapped sporting talents which are due to expose this season at Makhan.

Prospective football club owners, state and national sports department must witness this talent mela with eagle eye and pick the best for your team.

Media houses and journalists have also roles to play in promoting the games and encouraging the youths by reaching out maximum audience through your means. This event is not just about games. It’s a culmination of fun, culture, music, glamour, what not!