The year was 1984 June. I was assigned to teach Taekwondo in a remote village of Rajasthan called Kolaith near the border of Pakistan. "The Thar Desert" Rajasthan is known for, spread its scorching heat-wave across the land in the mid of June and a person like me hailing from North East India found it very hard to have a taste of it. In summer the temperature may rise to 50C particularly in May and June.

My assignment in Kolaith was the fourth assignments in Rajasthan. Earlier I had been to Bikaner, Churu, and Ajmer and to the beautiful Udaipur that locals dearly called "Kashmir of the Rajasthan".

I was engaged by the Congress Seva Dal based in New Delhi to teach Taekwondo to their members in Rajasthan. I was not a politician but I accepted the proposal for two reasons one being that Mr. P. Andrew Gurung, founder of Taekwondo in India and also my teacher was then the Chief Organiser of All India Congress Seva Dal in New Delhi and two: I wanted to organise a Taekwondo School in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. For which I needed help from some local men.

My participation in Congress Seva Dal Camp as a martial arts teacher was considered to be of high significance in Rajasthan. Moreover the renowned Ray Mond Chow's film 'Enter the Dragon' swept the City as it was occurred in Manipur in the early 80s and youths of Rajasthan followed it suit and curious to learn this wonderful Art of the East.

That is where the congress men played their card close to their chest that no person other than the congressmen were allowed to learn Taekwondo until he or she became a member of Congress organisation in Rajasthan.

The system of teaching Taekwondo solely to a political group was against my will but I was compelled to follow the rules. My ordeal of teaching Taekwondo exclusively to the Congressmen alone came to an abrupt end when a letter in red ink from an unknown addressor reached my room in the Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur in one fine morning.

The letter was a 'threat' dictating to immediately quit teaching Taekwondo only to the congressmen. Further the beautifully worded letters expressed concern over my future that I should not fall in the traps of congressmen and advise me to go back home and the last line reads "Failing to comply the same may require a single bullet just to cut the story short".

The morning doesn't turn out to be a good one for me. Whole day I denied the sunlight, shutting myself inside the room and pondering over the letter again and again.

However the local MLA who came to pick me up in the hotel tore the letter into pieces and reassured me not to bother over it for the letter according to him, was written none other than the president of a regional political party in Rajasthan.

Whatever be it I flatly refused the idea of teaching Taekwondo to a selective group. Sensing my stubbornness and in one way feeling pity on me, the congress Party in Rajasthan thereafter opened Taekwondo to all under its sponsorship.

My efforts in Rajasthan never proved futile and well paid off, I presumed. That my contribution was recognized to the level of Shri Rajiv Gandhi, our late Prime Minister who was then a MP in 1984.

I had an interaction with him for about 40 minutes in his office chamber when he visited Rajasthan's congress circle in Jaipur. A vividly impressed young MP appreciated me for my works in Rajasthan especially in the congress set up.

The charismatic leader who later destined to be the most powerful man in India asked me if I wanted anything from him. He also wondered whether I would love to have a taste of politics. At my early age, little did I know that a two line notes from the pen of this benevolent leader could have changed my future, my life.

But I am happy today that I did ask him the right thing. It was for my academic career, my admission in the college in Rajasthan. This was how my messy matriculation certificate and mark sheet with 33% in aggregate found its way to one of the most reputed college in Rajasthan, which was just at all impossible had not it been his desire.

My academic career doesn't come up to the expectation in Rajasthan. Sports and academic career is something which always has opposite direction. Despite much offers and opportunities that came my way, I couldn't improve my studies. Only I could have graduated in Manipur University in later part after a long winding road across the country and abroad.

Now it is coming back to Kolaith......in Rajasthan. I still vividly remember the small lanes that leading to the tiny township of Kolaith and ankle dept sands. Many beautiful small parks and its plaques showcased the heroism of the past kings to the visitors. The big school which stood tall by the side of the small town... is still clear in my eyes and felt as if it was occurred just yesterday only.

I was engaged there to teach Taekwondo for 15 days in a congress residential camp. But it was never easy job to teach Taekwondo to the villagers in the remotest corner of Rajasthan who had little idea of such arts.

My stretching exercise and flexibility techniques which forms apart of the game were something they have never seen in real life except in some Chinese martial arts movies. When I stretch my legs at both ends, one among my students would exclaimed "Ai ram kya circus dikhai dera hai" So I was more of a circus clown than a teacher of martial arts in this remote village.

The fifteen days in Kolaith seemed to have moved in a rather too slow pace with nothing to do. I passed off time teaching my students how to release ourselves if somebody suddenly grabs our hand and squeeze our throat etc. and to escape such attacks ultimately. That seemed to work for they were more interested in such technique.

The last day of the coaching thus came by. The Industry Minister of Rajasthan was present and a Taekwondo show was demanded by the Chief Guest. Few days back I had a stroll around the town and one of my students who followed me behind boasted off among the local-folks saying that, "My master from Manipur can finish off ten people at a time by his single blow".

An exaggeration indeed came out of over enthusiasm. The same impression has been induced to the Chief Guest by some of my students and for that reason I was compelled to give a demonstration.

The Taekwondo Show was lively, I presumed. A thunderous clap and applause always followed after every kick and action till the big man with dreaded moustache with thick fungus beard around the chin intruded my show.

He wore a lungi type dhoti that he shortened it seemingly readied for a fight. He was well built and the huge figure revealed of about 120 kgs bodyweight and about 6 feet in height.

The gentle man in lungi wanted to grab my hand. A direct and rude physical challenge came on my face. On my part I should escape from his grip using any technique. That was the challenge he offered. A bunch of his henchmen stood behind him and irritated me in a sing song. I was almost broken down before him pleading to leave me alone. I tried to convince him that Taekwondo was merely a 'game' nothing like a blood sport which he wouldn't listen to.

I approached to the Minister who was present in the closing function to intervene it but he kept mum apparently in a motive that, let things goes on its own course. Obviously he wanted to see me in real action. Half of my students who were enamored in my fighting style a while ago have now stood behind the intruder. My student about three hundred Nos. were thus divided into two one half in my side and the rest to his side.

The strong grip tightened my wrist like anything. He was to resist my upward move and proved superiority thereby in the presence of the crowd present. I have never dreamt of a big man who was twice my size would challenge me this way in such an awkward situation. If I fail, I am a loser not only that but my prestige and self- respect that I cherish and value will simply go away within a fraction of second.

My first attempt was to uplift my wrist and second attempt was to pull the man sideward for which he had never prepared. The heart throb inside me became faster and I collected all the names of gods whosoever came to my brain and started chanting their names so that they would be in my favour.

That exactly carried out. The huge figured was uncontrolled, imbalanced and almost fell on the ground when I pulled him sideward. I never let missed the chance that a powerful back round kick hit him right on the face. I attacked him till he was fainted and a stream of blood oozing out profusely from his nostril was visible. This continued till the audience interrupted.

Now the Minister and his bodyguards came up in the scene. I can't exactly remember what vulgarity I passed to the honorable minister. My imperfect Hindi and English language couldn't go for a rhetoric poem when the temper is in the 100 degree centigrade. However my 'limited' vocabulary was more than enough to express such feeling especially at such occasion. This much do I remember that, "I am from Manipur and we are ready to die if my honour is challenged".

Everything has now calmed down except the gentleman who sustained injury. He fingered towards me and left the place. Something I overheard from a distance was "Sala tume jinda jaladunga"

Later I was told that the man was a notorious and harmful Dada of the area and had burnt few men alive in previous cases. "Wo bahut khatratnat aadmi hai aap jaldi bhag jao" one of my students cautioned me alarmingly.

Sensing the trouble which is on my way, I packed my belongings and headed for the train station. The escort team of the Minister came to see me off on the Station and waited for me till the train move. Finally the whistle blew and the train started moving towards Jaipur.