Manipur Government Announces Monetary Incentives For Nilakanta Sharma

On Thursday August 5, the Indian team etched a history, after winning the bronze medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020. The team has earned its first Olympic medal in 41 years with a 5-4 win over Germany.

Expressing delight on the fabulous win, the Manipur CM, N. Biren Singh has announced a monetary incentive, worth Rs 75 lakh for securing the medal.

In a video chat with Nilakanta, the Chief Minister stated that Indian hockey team played exceptionally well to claim the Bronze medal at the ongoing Olympic Games.

On being asked of his expectation, from the state Government, Nilakanta stated that he wants a State Government job related to sports.

The CM further assured that a job would be handed to him on his return to Manipur.

Nilakanta, a Senior Ticket Collector in Railways, is the second medallist from Manipur, during the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics, after S. Mirabai Chanu who bagged silver medal in the 49 kgs women weightlifting event.

He is known to have shown maturity on the field everytime, he’s called upon.

The ace midfielder has mastered the art to create space in a tight situation or strike it with the calmness required.

Born in Manipur, a football dominated state, Nilakanta since his childhood dreamt to offer his best to hockey, thereby standing out of the pack. He has been holding the stick since 2003.

Nilakanta is the son of Sh Inaocha and Sh (O) Kunjarani of Kontha Ahallup Makha Leikai, residing in Imphal East district.

The midfielder joined the Posterior Hockey Academy in his early days along with Kothajit and Chinglensana, two other players from the state who had represented India.

He played for Posterior Hockey Academy Manipur till 2011.

Later he went to Bhopal Hockey Academy and was selected for the national junior team for the 2014 Sultan of Johor Cup.

Sharma has been a member of the title-winning run of the National Hockey Team at the 2016 Junior Hockey World Cup.

He has also been a member of the 4 Nations Invitational Tournament (Men) held at Hamilton, New Zealand, where the Indian Team bagged the Silver Medal.

Nilakanta has also been a member of the team that clinched the gold medal at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 (Men) at Muscat, Oman.