Manipur Olympic Games kicks off after a gap of 34 years

Speaking during the inaugural event, Governor La Ganesan expressed his confidence that the state would keep on producing many more sportspersons both at the international and the national levels in the years to come. He said, “Youths, who are highly disciplined, physically fit, mentally alert, spiritually sound and loyal to the country are needed at this juncture, much more than any other time in the past.”

He added, “If the athletes and sportsperson of the state are provided with infrastructural facilities and incentives and if a little more thrust is given to sporting activities in the rural areas, the youths of Manipur will emerge as excellent sportspersons of national and international stature,” Ganesan said.

“The government of India has endorsed the establishment of the National Sports University in Manipur in recognition of the wonderful performance of our players,” he added.

He maintained that Manipur is leading the Northeast region and continues to excel in the field of sports. He pointed out that Manipur has produced 19 Olympians, one Padma Bhushan awardee, five Padmashree awardees, 19 Arjuna awardees, three Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardees, one Dronacharya awardee, one Dhyanchand awardee, 24 Asian Games medalists and 27 Commonwealth Games medalists. In the recently held Commonwealth Games, Manipur athletes bagged two medals in weightlifting, the governor said.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh expressed his appreciation that the 2nd Manipur Olympic Games was finally being organised after 34 years.

He said that the state, after consultation with the Manipur Olympic association, had decided to organise the games every year and added that the budget for organising the same will be allocated separately from next year.

The second Manipur Olympic Games was organised under the aegis of Manipur Olympic Association (MOA) in association with the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, government of Manipur.

The sporting event will also serve as a selection process for the upcoming 36th National Games-2022 at Gujarat and North East Olympic Games-2022, an official from MOA said.