Internally displaced girls from Moreh, Manipur won medals at the 8th International Karate Championship, Indian Challenger Cup-2024 held at Netaji Indoor Stadium from July 26 to 28 in Kolkata. Altogether seven members from Moreh participated and won 11 medals including 5 (five) Golds, 3 (three) Silvers and 3 (three) Bronzes. Among the seven players from Moreh who participated in the championship three are girls. They were namely Kongkham Preety Chanu, Irengbam Puspa Chanu and Naorem Dolly Chanu. Kongkham Preety won two Gold medals, Irengbam Puspa won one Silver medal and Naorem Dolly won one Bronze medal in the Championship.
Kongkham Preety Chanu (15 years) who won two Gold medals in the championship hails from Moreh Heinou Makhong, Ward No. 7. She is now staying at Langol Game Village and studying at Kakching Makha High School in Class X. She is the youngest child of Late Kongkham Dilip Meetei and Kongkham Ongbi Nandibala Leima. At the age of 10 years, Preety started practicing Karate at Moreh Konthong Lairembi Haroubung under the guidance of Arambam Graceson from Yairipok who stayed at Moreh specially for teaching Karate. She expressed in grief that she faced many difficulties because of the ongoing violent conflict in the state of Manipur. Her grandmother was traumatized since May 3, 2023, the first day of the ongoing violent conflict at Moreh and expired after prolong treatment at JNIMS Hospital, Imphal East. The loss of her lovely grandmother adds more shock and grief in the life of young Preety Chanu. After moving out from Moreh, Preety and her family members stayed at various places and relief camps opened in and around Imphal valley. Her mother singly tried her best level for her family to run the family and support Preety with the earning by working as helpers in the locality. As Preety could not afford her sports costume (gear), she borrowed it from her fellow players for the championship. She hardly practiced for 10 days at Khuman Lampak Sports complex without sports uniform and accessories.
All the parents of the players were financially helpless as they all are internally displaced families, to send their wards for the Championship at Kolkata. But they all gathered together and went for donation at many places on the street and approached many CSOs and Meira Paibis for financial assistance. With this financial assistance they somehow managed to reach Kolkata and participated in the Championship.
Preety brings many laurels from many States, National and International level Karate tournaments held at different states of India. Till now, she bags four Gold, two Silver and two Bronze medals. While staying at the relief camp at Kakching, she felt so disappointed that many times she thought to quit practicing Karate. But with a firm determination she tries to regain her confidence. So, she started practicing and revising steps of Karate herself at the relief camp. Even though there were strict rules enforced in the tournament this year unlike before, Preety did not loss her confidence and without any fear she played the event and won two Gold medals. Before entering the arena of the match, she thought that how can she plays at the tournament without proper practice and with the mental stress for the last 14 months. But she breaks all the obstacles by winning two Gold medals. She gave her credits to her coach, parents, and people of the State who support the Moreh team.
As her coach informed about another tournament that will be held at Delhi this year, she feels helpless without any monetary saving to participate the tournament. She is dreaming for help to participate the Delhi tournament. All her medals and certificates were turned into ashes in the unfortunate violent conflict that erupted from May 3 last year in the State of Manipur. She cried a lot for that loss. All her tears remain silent without anyone’s attention. She considered medals and certificates as her precious assets. She wants the help of authorities concerned to provide at least the duplicate certificates of the tournaments that she had participated if possible. The girl asked herself many questions – When will this conflict come to an end? When she will be able to stay at her native place at Moreh, Manipur? When they will resume a normal life and start her practice without any tension and many more? But there is no one to answer her questions.
She appeals the Government to pay special attention for the Internally Displaced Sports Persons (IDSP) to continue their career in different sports discipline which will help to boost up them mentally, physically and financially. Preety put all her fate to God whether she will continue her sports career or not.
Interacting with Irengbam Puspa Chanu who won Silver Medal at the Championship, expressed in grief that when one of her school teachers asked about her future aim in life, she doubt herself whether she will be able to fulfill her dreams or not. The conflict situation had presented her nothing rather than making her sports career fails.
Irengbam Puspa Chanu hails from Moreh Ward No. 9 and is the first daughter of Irengbam Doren Meetei and Irengbam Mitkhubi Leima. Now she is staying at Urup Lilong Arapti Relief Camp. She is studying in Class X at Urup Higher Secondary School. Since, from her early age of 12 years, Puspa started practicing Karate. She learned Thang-Ta and also wanted to learn Taekwondo but not possible as there was no facility at Moreh. Her sports career was smooth before the violent conflict that erupted since May 3, 2023. But now her parent is not in a position to support her as they could not find any job staying at the relief camp.
Puspa’s family and other residents of Moreh fled away from their homes when many houses were burnt down by armed Kuki miscreants. While hiding in the forest that night, she cried a lot as she lost everything including her dreams. Some of the fellows who were hiding with her told not to cry and remain silent as there might be gun shot towards them. She lamented for losing her medals and certificates in this violent conflict situation of the State. She did not bother in losing her home as compared to the lost of her Karate certificates and medals won in various tournaments. She could not attend her classes properly as her mind was filled with full of emotional and psychological distress by the ongoing conflict in the State. Usually, she returns from school after the third period. She told her parents that she will give-up her sports career and joined as Village Volunteer to guard and save the State. But her parents console her to continue her sports career.
While in the sports arena she thought as if she was fighting with her enemy who blazed her house in front of her eyes. Even though, she could not win gold medal, she is quite satisfied with her performance despite of all odds. She expressed her desire of becoming a good and successful international player in future. She doubts whether her hope and aspiration will be fulfilled or not. She appeals the Government to provide adequate requirements for the Internally Displaced Sports Persons (IDSPs) who are taking shelter at different relief camps.
With the hope to make her native place Moreh included in the World map of sports, Naorem Dolly Chanu started playing Karate since 2002. She won a Bronze medal in the recent tournament. She hails from Moreh Ward No. 4 Premnagar. She is the fifth child among eight siblings born to Naorem Sankar Singh and Naorem Ongbi Lalita Devi. Now Dolly is not admitted to any school but she is supposed to be in Class VIII standard. Without any financial support from her parents, her dreams fade away day by day. She worried about her future – where and how to live without any earning, home and hopes? She will be very happy if there is someone or any institution or organisation who could fully support and fulfil her dreams and for others who are in such a state like her. She will try to achieve greater success and won more medals and fame in her endeavours, she added.
The ray of hope and aspirations of Internally Displaced Sports Persons (IDSPs) living in relief camps and temporary settlements can be fulfilled by providing proper training facilities, coaching and nutritional support, financial aid, educational opportunities and mental heath supports etc. It is the need of the Government or authorities concerned to ensure the sports persons to maintain their physical and mental well-being, continue their training and eventually return to their sports careers to prove Manipur as a Powerhouse of Sports in the World.
