Better never late be the mindset, Mr CM
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: August 29, 2012 -

Chief Minister O Ibobi Sigh handing over a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to Olympian Hockey player Kh Kothajit :: Pix - HL

As they say, better late than never, it's good to see Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh according due recognition to State Olympian hockey player Khadangbam Kothajit along with handing over a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the young and promising athlete during a simple function at his office chamber on August 27.

After a long drought of State players in the Indian hockey team, the news of Kothajit getting selected for the London Olympics, 2012 came like a breath of fresh air to the sports loving people of Manipur.

In fact, after Nilakomol and Thoiba who played in the Olympics, and Tiken who left his mark in the world cup, male hockey players from Manipur have not been able to show their magic on the turf for quite some time.

So, selection of Kothajit, even as a stand-by in the Indian hockey team for the London Olympics generated new hope.

But it was almost cut short when the state government raised question on the Olympian status of Kothajit contending that he did not actually play any games but remained sitting in the gallery to watch other players in the field, and, thus, sidelining him completely from the felicitation function hosted for the State Olympians returning from London Olympics.

The attitude of the government not only infuriated the people of the state, but also caused lots of embarrassment to the young budding player and his family members.

Of course, after realizing the blunder, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh did make a public apology over exclusion of Kothajit, but that was only after the harm had been done.

Anyway, now that Kothajit has been given his due recognition, all that we would like to underline here is that every effort should be made to ensure such short-sightedness of the state administration does not mar the budding sporting career of any state player in future.

Considering lack of necessary infrastructure for sports, emergence of so many players of International repute from a poor and underdeveloped tiny landlocked state like Manipur has been the cause of envy for other developed and bigger states of India while the world stands up to look at Manipuri players with awe.

It is also a fact that most of the players in Manipur, whether they be in hockey, boxing, weightlifting or any other disciplines, come from humble family background and, yet they are the ones who introduced Manipur to the rest of the world and bring laurels to the state. So, it is not without any reason or qualification that the state has earned the sobriquet of 'powerhouse of sports'.

In such a condition, even a dim-witted person can imagine the height to which the state players can scale to fly the flag higher, if they could have accessed to the kind of infrastructure available in other parts.

This could be possible only when all those who are giving advice to an even more ignorant Chief Minister understand that it is better never late when it comes to promotion of sportspersons in Manipur.