Kunjurani Devi 8212; Wun in a million

MUMBAI, JANUARY 1: The beginnings of a revolution are often muted. It is not the place where the first bomb is cast, or the moment when th...

MUMBAI, JANUARY 1: The beginnings of a revolution are often muted. It is not the place where the first bomb is cast, or the moment when the first banner is raised. More probably, it takes the form of a seed in a determined mind. So it was with Kunjurani Devi.

The desire of becoming a weightlifter burned inside her. Her family welcomed the decision as openly as they would a hurricane. Her brother talked her out of it. Her parents brought up the touchy issue of family honour.

Kunjurani stayed her ground. 8220;I will not spoil the family name,8221; the fourth child of an Imphal motor spare-parts dealer told herself.

Thirteen years later, the 5 feet, 48 kg weightlifter stands at the helm of a revolution. Where it was unusual, and a family disgrace for a woman to entertain a muscle sport, Kunjurani has initiated girls in hundreds to gymnasiums and training hostels. To fellow internationals Sanamacha, Nandini and Khoni, and a hundred others, she is itcheye elder sister in Manipuri.

When she visits Manipur gyms,they chatter excitedly, 8220;Itcheye Kunju is coming.8221; 8220;Kanno hono do hard work,8221; she advises them, 8220;and become a wun champion.8221;

8220;Like you,8221; they chorus.The family name, if anything, has been painted on the skies. What else do you expect after 21 World and 28 Asian medals ? Their daughter is an assistant commander with Central Reserve Police Force. Jawans snap their heels and salute when she passes. 8220;My jawans are always around to help me,8221; she says with pride.

Things weren8217;t always so cushy. In 1986, when women were included in the Udaipur Nationals for the first time, her state was not even affiliated to the federation IWF. The Manipuir unit had not functioned since its formation in 1975, and had been cast away. For six months, Kunjurani wrote three times a month to IWF secretary Gopal Khanra. She was just 18. 8220;I did not know English too well then. I would write in Manipuri, get it translated, and mail the letter. I did not hear from them for six months,8221; she recalls.

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Her perseverancepaid off. Next year at Ernakulum, Manipur and Kunjurani took a bow. The 31-year-old has been a regular at 12 Nationals since, missing only the 14th, at Bangalore last February. At the 15th edition here last week, Manipur finished runner-up in the team stakes.

The years have taken their toll. Two seasons ago, she underwent a knee operation; the joint acts up every now and then. She is already labelled a veteran by the weightlifting fraternity. But in her eyes, you can still see the thirst for medals. And the Sydney Olympics, where Karnam Malleswari and she have received individual berths, beckons.

There is no doubt that she is still in the afternoon of her career. The 105 kg Clean and Jerk at the November 8217;99 World Championships in Athens, that earned India its only silver medal, she rates as her best performance ever. 8220;I take too much trouble in practice,8221; she says earnestly. An Olympic wun would be just compensation.