The XVIII Hill Districts Badminton Championships trophy winner went to Senapati Districts Badminton Association (SDBA) which ended on April 14. The championship was organised by the Hill Districts Badminton Association, Manipur and hosted by the Ukhrul District Badminton Association under the banner of Ukhrul District Sports Association. The tournament kicked off from April 10.
The closing ceremony welcome address delivered by Joseph Pauline Kamson (IAS), Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul District stressed on the importance of the tournament and termed it as an eventful one to display talents and skills from the hill districts. He said, “This tournament has promoted integration, fostering unity and encourage friendship. It will be a pleasure to host a better one in the near future. This tournament needs financial assistant from the government.”
Many prominent personalities attended the championships closing ceremony. To name a few, Functional President M. Rameshwar Singh, MLA, Director General of Police, DGP, L.M. Khaute (IPS), Manipur (Hony. President HDBAM), Worchuiyo Arthur Chiphang (IAS), Director, Tribal Affairs and Hills Government of Manipur, Bijoy Koijam, Ex President, Manipur Badminton Association and Naorem Shyamkumar Singh, Hony. Secretary, Manipur Badminton Association and many more attended the event.
M. Rameshwar Singh expressed his satisfaction and said, “I am very happy and grateful from the bottom of my heart on behalf of the Meitei community for inviting me to this XVIII Hill Districts Badminton Championships. This game doesn’t divide political parties, the rich and the poor, big or small, nor religion neither destiny. But it is the games and sports that unites and makes us one.”
DGP L. M. Khaute in his speech said, “I was told that the last five days is a time to enjoy, play, and come up with different tactics, to test your skills which we didn’t witness in previous years and in other championships. As we are returning to our own districts, our respective homes, we are more enriched with the knowledge and skills, and culture of different communities. I hope people have visited the beautiful places in Ukhrul and may have learned few words of the Tangkhul dailect.”
Khaute further introduced international players, Andrew Lotzem and young international players Kyovie Mangsuan Vemai and Kalo Truman. He gave his best wishes to them to bring more laurels for the state and thank SDBA for molding young players to represent our state and nation at many international events.
Bijoy Koijam graced the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest. Speaking at the ceremony, Bijoy Koijam siad that “The duty of people like us is to try and create the infrastructure, the stadium, that is required to promote sports and games. I am very happy that Ukhrul is having a good stadium but under the ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, there is a scheme called ‘Construction of Multipurpose Sports Indoor Hall’ for which they are giving up to 4 -7 crores under the department of Youth Affairs and Sports. I would like to request the Badminton Association of Manipur and the Hill Areas Badminton Association to approach the department of Youth Affair and Sports, to request them to construct multipurpose hall in every hill district of the state. I can assure you that once the proposal is send from the state of Manipur I will try and help them in getting the project for the districts.”
He further added saying “Presently we are doing four multipurpose hall. The proposal is underway. In the process, one is in Kaching, my assembly constituency, One in Hon’ble constituency, one in Heingang constituency, and one in Thangal constituency. These four constituency has been sanctioned by the state government for forwarding to the ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. In the second phase I would like to take the seven hill districts for this project.”
We have to be on equal footing, on equal platform in order to bring development and positive progressive change to the lives of people of all the hill district of Manipur. I always say, the most important thing or part in human being is the heart. However successful we are, if our heart is not good than a man will not achieve anything. If you love someone, and if your heart is good than it is like you love God. Today, under the leadership of Hon’ble Shri N Biren Singh, we have a level to bring emotional integration between the people of Hills and between the people of valley. For so many years, Manipur was troubled with banned, blockade, and so many problem between the tribal’s and the Meiteis . Assuming that, thinking that we are from different communities, but under the leadership of Shri N Biren Singh who realise that tribal’s are part of Manipur and emotionally we need to connect with each other. He has started Shirui Lily Festival and schemes like ‘Go to the Hills’. Whereby, the development activities, construction of Infrastructure is given priority to the hill areas. Ukhrul is so fertile in terms of human resources development and natural resources and we will be able to develop Ukhrul district and other hill district of Manipur under the leadership of Shri N Biren Sigh.
I would like to take this opportunity and let you know that we are planning in all the hill districts for portable drinking water supply. Tamenlong is a beautiful hill district but people do not want to settle there because drinking water wasn’t available. But today under the leadership of Shri N Biren Singh, we have completed a good water project. Now the people of Tamenglong district are getting drinking water.
Today, If we want to bring a progressive change in Ukhrul or in hill district or in Manipur, everything is in our hands. It depends on us. If we want to bring a change, first we have to be the change that we want to bring. Each one of us has to be a good citizen, each of us have to be a responsible citizen. The day we become a responsible citizen, let me assure you my friends, we will be ahead of all the other states in Northeast and in all the other states in India,” Koijam said.
Mementoes were given to the participants and awards were given to the deserving players. Exhibition match were held between Kyoveio and Kalo (Men’s Single) Rameshwar, W. James , Bijoy Koijam and H Amusana ( Men’s double). DGP Khaute, dehoisted the flag and concluded the event.
Phungchamnao Ranreiphi Kharei
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