BBAUD felicitates Tangkhul duo Solan, Solimla
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, June 20 2022:
Body Building Association of Ukhrul District (BBAUD) on Monday felicitated two Tangkhul girls, Solan Jajo and Solimla Jajo ahead of the upcoming senior women model physique Miss Asia 2022 and Miss World 2022 .
Earlier in May, Solan Jajo and Solimla Jajo, both aged 17, were selected to represent Indian bodybuilding team in the two upcoming global events.
Solan and Solimla are among the eight athletes selected from Manipur for the 54th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship which will be held in the Maldives from July 16 to 21 and the 13th WBPF World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship in Thailand this year.
Solan Jajo, who completed XII standard at Alice Christian Higher Secondary School, hails from Leishi village; while Solimla Jajo, who completed XII standard at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, is from Kasom Khullen village in Kamjong district.
Attending the event as chief guest, Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) president David K Shimray wished Solan and Solimla to bring laurels through their talents and hard work.
He also exhorted the two young athletes to participate in the upcoming events in the true spirit of sportsmanship and professionalism.
He further advised the youngsters to trust God first before pursuing their goals in life in order to succeed.
At the same time, the TNL chief urged parents/guardians to give free will to their children so they could follow their calling.
In his speech, BBAUD advisor Robert Leishangthem Meitei stated that body building has been the only discipline which has exposed Ukhrul district to the international sporting arena.
He also distinguished the upcoming Miss Asia and Miss World 2022 from the glamour beauty contests, stating that these are related to appreciation of natural physique structures.
"In body building discipline, we believe in what is written in the Bible which says, 'Your body is the temple of God'," he said.
Expressing elation over the selection of Solan and Solimla, who are members of BBAUD, Robert related various challenges of the Association owing to paucity of funds and other resources.
He mentioned that the cost of sponsoring the two selected girls will be more than two lakhs, and the onus is on the Association as the girls are from impoverished families.
"With no other options, we managed to raise the fund through a donation drive which was conducted in Ukhrul town recently and during which a sum of Rs 1,54,900 was collected", he said.
He continued that as the fund was still insufficient, the Association is looking for more generous donation from well-wishers and supporters.
"In this trying time, we are also happy to acknowledge that Ukhrul district administration has promised to provide Rs 2 lakh to meet the expenses of the two selected athletes", he revealed.
Robert, who established BBAUD back in 2014, has participated in Mr World, Mr Asia and other international championship events.
Moreover, since its inception, the Association has groomed many young talents and exposed them to different international platforms.
As part of the felicitation programme, UTBC pastor Rev Somi Kasomwoshi invoked divine blessing upon Solan Jajo and Solimla Jajo for their victory in the upcoming events.
During the programme, Robert also gave a live demonstration on how selection for the upcoming global events was done and its various criteria to enlighten the gathering about the bodybuilding discipline.
Solan and Solimla also shared their struggles and challenges in the beginning of the pursuit of their passion and how they convinced their parents to accept their choice of the discipline in place of classroom education.
According to Solan and Solimla, they faced similar obstacles in the form of parental disapproval of their choice of the body building discipline which is a new phenomenon, especially for women in the district.
They recalled that following their selection for the upcoming global events, their parents came to realise the importance of their passion and its prospect.
Parents and relatives of Solan and Solimla also spoke on the occasion and expressed gratitude to BBAUD for its unrelenting efforts in promoting youngsters in the body building discipline.
Representatives from Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (TNWL), Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL), Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL), Tangkhul Katamnao Long (TKS) and others also attended the event.
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