Result of hard work, says father
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 05 2021: "Being a poor father, I could not buy even a hockey stick for him and his achievement today is the result of his hard work," said Shanglakpam Inaocha, father of Olympic medallist Nilakanta Sharma.

Kontha Ahallup Makha Leikai, a village in Imphal East district, celebrated the victory of Indian Men's Hockey team winning the bronze medal in Tokyo Olympics-2020 on Thursday.

The excited local people took out a procession defying Covid SOP to cherish the epochal moment.

Some local residents could also be seen celebrating the victory with an impromptu Thabal Chongba.

Interacting with the media, Inaocha said that Nilakanta is his second son.

Being raised in a poor family, Nilakanta learned the hard ways of life since his early childhood.

He got involved in playing Hockey in the local playground near the river bank when he was nine years old.

Inaocha recalled that as a father he could not provide his son food supplements other than the two square meals.

Except for buying a used bicycle for his son to go to Khuman Lampak sports stadium for practice he could not do much, he said.

After Nilakanta went to Bhopal for training and then later got a job in the Indian Railways he was able to practice properly and started supporting the family financially, Inaocha said, while urging parents to support their children in whatever career path they choose.

Nilakanta's mother Kunjarani confided that she cried a lot on seeing the Indian team winning the bronze in the Olympics but it was the tears of happiness.

She also cried on hearing her son's voice after losing the semi-final match to Belgium.

Prior to the Thursday's match, she talked with her son over the phone and blessed him for success.

After the match, her son called her and told her about their victory, she said.

She then thanked everybody for their support and prayer.

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