Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Participation Of Sportspersons From Manipur In Olympic Games. on 1 August, 2016
Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Regarding participation of sportspersons from Manipur in Olympic games.
DR. THOKCHOM MEINYA (INNER MANIPUR): Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to raise a matter of urgent public importance.
Madam, I stand here to convey my best wishes and best of luck to our sportspersons bound for Rio Olympics.
My State, Manipur, the sporting power house has every reason to celebrate because this tiny State has once again created history by sending six sportspersons to represent the country in the Olympic Games. The six sportspersons are namely Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, woman weightlifter (48 kilograms); Laishram Bombayla, women’s archery; Capt. Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam and Anuradha Thokchom, Women's Field Hockey Team; Khadangbam Kothajit Singh and Chinglensana Singh Kangujam, Men’s Field Hockey Team.
Altogether, 121 sportspersons will represent India. The State's first hockey Olympian is Nilkamal Singh, who played in the Los Angeles Games in 1984. India finished sixth in the Games.
It might be mentioned that five Manipuri players including the country’s most decorated pugilist M.C. Mary Kom, who was nominated as Rajya Sabha Member on April 26th, participated in the London Olympics 2012 and she won a Bronze Medal. This time also, Mary Kom could have booked a berth in the Indian contingent, had her nomination to the Upper House been delayed till end of the World Championships in May, which was her last chance to qualify for Rio Olympics.
Yesterday, our hon. Prime Minister, in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has asked our sportspersons ‘दिल जीतकर आइए।’ Here, I would like to urge our good sportspersons ‘मैडल जीतकर आइए, सिर्फ दिल जीतने से थोड़ी होता है।’ Once again, I do convey my best wishes and best of luck to all our sportspersons for Rio Games. Thank you, Madam.
HON. SPEAKER:
Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel is permitted to associate with the issue raised by Dr. Thokchom Meinya.