RK Sanaton (football player) : To remain healthy for life, one must take up a suitable game

Seram Neken *

'ON THE GOLDEN FOOTPRINTS' welcomes the suggestions and corrections made by veteran player Soram Lokeshwar in the contents of this column. The information herein is based entirely on the interviews with the aged sportspersons. Since there is room for inaccuracies of facts collected during the interviews, the writer solicits corrections (if any) from all circles. 'ON THE GOLDEN FOOTPRINTS' reproduces here the profile of veteran football player RK Sanaton from Ratneshwori Goswami's Akao Parei Chankhrabasing published in the Huieyen Lanpao (Manipuri).

Manipur is synonymous with sports. There has been no dearth of competent players in the state from the very beginning. A resident of Tera Sapam Leirak Imphal, veteran RK Sanaton was a prominent football player from the 1960s to 1980s. In an interview with Sports Journalist Ratneshori Goswami of Hueiyen Lanpao Daily, Sanaton said that his association with TRAU Club was initiated by one of his local friends Chabungbam Chaoba Singh, an athletics player who introduced him to Sapam Krishnamohon, an important functionary of the Club. TRAU was very popular by that time, as it won champions in CC Meet in 1960 and 1961, while it became runners in 1963 and 1964. By 1965, Sanaton became a player of TRAU which again won runner-up in the CC Meet of the year.

Thereafter, he grew up as a disciplined and hard-working football player of TRAU club. During his time, the popular sports clubs were NISA, ESU, Young Physique, SSU, NACO etc. In 1968, Manipur team turned champions in NM Gupta Trophy by defeating Bangladesh by 2-1 goals. Besides RK Sanaton, the players during the match were L. Ramkumar, Maku, Dhanabir, M. Roon, Dipak Limbu, Nanda, Y. Imocha, Luingai Ni etc.

In addition to football, Sanaton also took interests in other athletics. In the National Physical Efficiency Competition in Gwalior in 1966, he got tenth position. As a Javelin player, he joined the Inter College Sports Festivals held in Guwahati and Nagaon, where he finished first and second positions respectively. He was part of state Kabaddi team in the 16th All India Civil Services Kabaddi Tournament held in Srinagar in 1981. Sanaton had also been a Sepak Takraw player, since the Game appeared in Manipur.

In an interview with Sports Journalist Ratneshori Goswami of Hueiyen Lanpao Daily, Sanaton narrated an interesting story of his family. His younger brother RK Khomdon, who is in active service, was also a Football player under the Young Progressive Association (YPA) of Uripok. Once in the State League, TRAU club was to face the YPA. Before setting out for the play, Sanaton and his brother Khomdon, players of the opposing teams, begged blessings from their mother. The straightforward mother with all her frankness wished Sanaton to play in favour of the younger brother.

From the very beginning, Sanaton had the skill to stitch football, weaving of the laces, repairing of boots, pasting of boot studs. He had helped many players of TRAU in repairing their boots. Still today, the veteran sportsman has the instruments for shoe repairing. As Sanaton remembered, the players hardly demanded kits from their clubs in those days. Clubs used to provide a boot, a shirt etc. once a year.

Sanaton carefully maintained his uniforms and boots, after coming back from plays. During his participation in CC Meets and State Leagues, the Club provided him with transport fare from Churachandpur to Imphal, nothing more than that as the Clubs were not financially sound. Moreover, the players were complacent as they were highly enthusiastic of sports development in the state. According to Sanaton, players of today have lots of facilities provided by their affiliating clubs and trained coaches for training. During his time, Oja Brajamani and Oja Kamini were the only coach available for football training. He chatted that the training provided by Major Dayamoi at Imphal Pologround was also very helpful for maintaining body fitness.

In 1968, RK Sanaton joined service in the Fire Brigade and was posted at Churachandpur for ten years. Fire Brigade Director Sanasam Singhajit, who had keen interest in sports, supported and encouraged him to play. During 1969, 1971 and 1972, Sanaton participated in the East Zone Police Meets in Nagaland, Guwahati and Orissa respectively. As most of his time in office was engaged in sports, he had to join the six months fire service training in Nagpur as late as in 1974. His post training posting was at Bishnupur, where he continued his sports activities.

In spite of his engagements in service at various places, he indulged in daily walking and physical exercise. While he was posted at Moirang, he used to walk 4-5 kilometers daily, and came back on time for the roll-call at 6 in the morning. The added advantage of a sportsman, according to RK Sanaton, was the ability to perform any task freely and efficiently.

During his sports career, Sanaton had desperate moments for which he blamed bad luck and poverty. He could not proceed for NIS training due to fund crunch of the state. He (in athletics) along with M. Kunjabihari of Kwakeithel Moirang Purel (in Hockey) had completed all preparations for joining the NIS training, only to turn down due to non-availability of fund.

Since childhood, he has been consistently joining the routine trekking to Baruni and Koubru peaks. Still today, he is on morning walk and regular physical exercise. He is one of the 12 colleagues who are on daily walk at the elderly age. Ngaseppam Tomcha, former Superintendent of Police in Nagaland is also one among them.

Narrating the role of his senior colleagues in the development of football in Manipur, Sanaton recalled that the selfless services of persons like Khomdram Dhanachandra, Ayekpam Biramangol and Elangbam Ibohal spent most of their time at the pavilion of Imphal Pologround. He said Manipur Sate Games in the past were very popular and conducted on large scales. There were renowned players in various events, as there were also able sports managers. Most players of his time were all-rounders, who took up as many events as they could.

For his efficient service, RK Sanaton was awarded the President's Medal for Fire service in 1996. After serving for 42 years in the Fire Brigade, he retired from service in February 2010. The whole credit for his efficient service went to sports, which he loves and embraces from childhood. As he believes, sport has been responsible for his healthy body and mind even at the dusk of life.