Skip to main content

Manipuri shooters from B'desh seek more ties with 'homely' NE

Guwahati: Manipuri players in Bangladesh's contingent for the ongoing South Asian Games (SAG) expressed happiness at being in the northeast and called for more sporting events between the region and the neighbouring country.

Shooters Mahendra Kumar Singha and Anjan Singha, both Bishnupriya Manipuris, said such programmes would help the community nurture sporting talent. Belonging to the first generation of players from the Bishnupriya Manipuri community in Bangladesh to feature in the national team, both Mahendra and Anjan were full of praise for the Manipuri athletes taking part in the event.

"There should be more sporting events like this, especially between Bangladesh and this part of India. People here and back home are the same. Our food habits, culture and even vehicles and roads are similar. More people-to-people contact will be helpful and eventually it will improve relations between the two countries," Mahendra, who won a bronze in the 50-m pistol team event, told TOI at the Kahilipara shooting range here on Saturday.

"Manipuris in Bangladeshi are very advanced in fields like education, but, in sports, we are a bit behind. We can plan something like an exchange programme with the northeast. This will help us immensely," said Singha, who is attached to the Bangladesh Army.

"There are more than 1.5 lakh Manipuris in Bangladesh. My cousin, Simul Kanti Singha, also took part in SAG in the weightlifting category," he added. The 36-year-old, who has participated in UN peacekeeping missions, said he wanted to improve his score to 580. "If I can do that, I will be able to break into the top ranks in Asia," he added.

"Playing in Guwahati is like playing at home. I've been to India at least four times but being in Guwahati is really special. We never felt that we were away from home. We have been communicating in Bengali with the people here. It's been a great experience," said Anjan.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

We all love comments. It is moderated

Popular posts from this blog

The 'Star' Krishankant Sinha of Space City Sigma

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi It is a myth that the all-knowing Internet knows everything. One such myth relates to old television stuff aired on Doordarshan before 1990. Search in Google “Space City Sigma”, the search engine would throw up reminiscent results from the people who still long for those days. Those days were really golden days. Krishankant Sinha in the role of Captain Tara in Space City Singma For those who have watched Doordarshan some 15 to 20 years back, am sure they will have nostalgic memories of it. The days when possessing a now ubiquitous looking television set was a luxury. It was a neighbour’s envy product. It was a visual product to showoff, to flaunt that we have a television set . Those were the days when black and white, locked television was rarely found in homes. The days became immortal for teleserials like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Swami’s Malgudi Days (Ta-Na-Na-Na…), Ek-Do-Teen-Char (Title song: Ek do teen char, chaaro mil ke saath chale to ...
26 comments
Read more

Bishnupriya Manipuri Development Council: Few Pertinent Questions (Part I)

By Rebati Mohan Sinha On last 25th March 2010 there was an announcement in the floor of the House that the Government of Assam has agreed on principle to form three separate Social Economic Development Councils for Bishnupriya Manipuri, Nath Yugi and Maimal. And now the Cabinet Committee has given its nod. It will be placed in the House (not yet placed) and once it is passed, then a Ministerial Committee would consult the stake holders i.e. these three communities, regarding their aspirations and would send its recommendation accordingly to the Central Government for further action within the next two months. The two months time since been elapsed, even then the bill is yet to show its face in the House. The Ministerial consultation is quite far away. Why am I repeating the same thing now is because of a section of Bishnupriya Manipuri started quarreling for the share of so-called power, from now on, without knowing the outcome of the development which is taking place in the...
34 comments
Read more

Jingta Koro Imar Thar

The Bishnupriya Manipuri language is in fact an eco friendly, cholesterol free language. It does no harm if spoken moderately, at least at home or with fellow Bishnupriya Manipuris. Injecting into the child the habit to speak in Bishnupriya Manipuri should be as crucial as polio vaccination is. By Henryy Sinha, New Delhi Grant me the privilege for a constructive crib! On the 21st December 2008, a Mahila Samiti was formed in New Delhi by the Bishnupriya Manipuri Nagarik Samiti, (New Delhi- NCR). Needless to say, it’s a great initiative. Most importantly, an important initiative. But somehow a wicked voice in my head says, this Mahila Samiti might end up as yet another feel good, cosmetic outfit. Sorry for my premonition. I might have just fallen prey to facts. Maybe plain history. It’s ritualistic to offer ‘privileges’ to a woman with a patronizing tone for the men. Be it America, Afghanistan or Japirbon, the plot remains the same. And this ritual, I bet is very much pronounced in o...
26 comments
Read more