Senapati, September 17: The 4th edition of the Lt Col Robert Memorial Badminton Tournament, 2025, commenced today at Rikhumai Indoor Badminton Hall, Senapati.
The opening ceremony was graced by Chingpai Rangnamei, wife of Late Lt Col Robert TA, as the special guest. Senior army officers, the District Youth & Sports Office, Senapati, district-level officers, and badminton players from across the district were also present.
Organised under Operation Sadbhavana by the Indian Army, the tournament will be held from September 17 to 22. Matches will be played across singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories for men and women, with participants ranging from under-11 to over-60.
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Addressing the gathering, the Commanding Officer of the 2 MAHAR Regiment said the tournament was organised under the aegis of the Red Shield Division to honour the legacy of Lt Col Robert TA and to encourage the youth of Manipur. He recalled that Lt Col Robert laid down his life in the highest traditions of the Indian Army while leading a snow clearance team in an avalanche situation in North Sikkim on May 14, 2020.
The officer highlighted that Manipur, despite its small geographical size and population, has excelled in several spheres, especially in sports. However, he pointed out that due to lack of opportunities and other constraints, many talented individuals are unable to realise their potential. The Red Shield Division, as part of Operation Sadbhavana, aims to identify such “hidden sparks” and support them to overcome life’s challenges. “The singular aim of this initiative is to empower youth, develop their skills, and assist them in the economic upliftment of their families so that they may become harbingers of peace and development,” he said.
Lt Col Robert TA, the first Maram Naga to be commissioned as an officer in the Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army, hailed from Maram village in Senapati district. Born on January 24, 1981, he joined the Army in 2004 at the age of 23 through the Technical Entry Scheme (TES). He became the first person from the Maram Naga community to don the Army uniform as an officer.
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Besides being a committed soldier, Lt Col Robert was a passionate sportsman. During his training days, he was fondly nicknamed “Rohaldo” by his course-mates for his skill and enthusiasm in sports. In 2008, he was awarded the VCOAS Commendation after leading his team to victory in the prestigious Army Adventure Challenger Cup. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2017 after serving in multiple operational areas across the country.
By 2020, he had completed around 16 years of service in the Army. His unit was then deployed in North Sikkim near the Indo-China border, where troops were stationed across remote and rugged terrain under extreme weather conditions. On May 14, 2020, while leading a patrol-cum-snow clearance team of three officers and 18 soldiers, he was caught in a massive avalanche. The suddenness of the avalanche gave no time for evasive action, trapping the team under tons of snow. A large-scale rescue operation involving the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and ITBP managed to recover several soldiers, but Lt Col Robert succumbed to the harsh conditions.
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He is remembered as a fine officer, a true leader, and a dedicated soldier who lived and died in service to the nation. Lt Col Robert is survived by his wife, Chingpai Rangnamei, and their two daughters, Pungdila Deborah and Hinga.