DIPA KARMAKAR is an Indian artistic gymnast. Karmakar first gained attention when she won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She also won a bronze medal at the Asian Gymnastics Championships and finished fifth at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, both firsts for her country. She represented India at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first Indian female gymnast ever to compete in the Olympics and attained fourth position in Women’s Vault Gymnastics event at Rio, with an overall score of 15.066. In July 2018, Karmakar became the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal at a global event, when she finished first in the vault event of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup at Mersin, Turkey. She is one of the only five women who have successfully landed the Produnova, which is regarded as the most difficult vault currently performed in women’s gymnastics. She is a recipient of the Padma Shri for her contributions in the field of sports and was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in August 2016.
HIMA DAS, nicknamed the Dhing Express, holds the Indian national record in 400 metres with a timing of 50.79 s that she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. She is the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track event at the IAAF World U20 Championships.On 12 July 2018, Das won the 400 m final at the World U-20 Championships 2018 held at Tampere, Finland, clocking 51.46 seconds and becoming the first Indian sprinter to win a gold medal at an international track event.At the 2018 Asian Games, Das clocked a national record of 50.79 s in the 400 m final to win the silver medal. On 30 August 2018, she, along with MR Poovamma, Sarita Gayakwad and VK Vismaya won the women’s 4 × 400 metres relay clocking 3:28.72. Hima also won a silver medal in the 4×400 m mixed relay, which was held for the first time at Asian Games. She won 200m Gold in Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland, on July 2, 2019, with a time of 23.65 seconds. After that, she won 200m gold at the Kutno Athletics Meet, also in Poland, on July 7, 2019, with a time of 23.97 seconds. On July 13, she won 200m gold at the Kladno Athletics Meet in the Czech Republic with a time of 23.43 seconds.She also bagged the gold medal in the 200m race at the Tabor Athletics Meet, on July 16, 2019, in the Czech Republic with a time of 23.25 seconds.She added a fifth gold in 18 days when she won the 400m event with a season-best time of 52.09 seconds at the Nove Mestonad Metuji Grand Prix in Czech Republic on July 19, 2019. She was conferred Arjuna Award on 25 September 2018.
SAIKHOM MIRABAI CHANU has had regular presence in international weightlifting events since 2014 in the 48 kg category. Chanu has won the World Championships and multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games. Chanu had won the silver medal in the women’s 48 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow; she went on to break the games record en route to the gold medal at the 2018 edition of the event held in Gold Coast. Her biggest achievement came in 2017, when she won the gold medal at World Weightlifting Championships held in Anaheim, United States. She was awarded the Padma Shri for her contributions to the sport. She was awarded Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2018.
SHIVA THAPA is an Indian boxer from Assam, supported by Olympic Gold Quest and Anglian Medal Hunt Company. Thapa participated in the 2012 London Olympics, and was the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics. Thapa is ranked 3rd in the bantamweight category in the AIBA Men’s World Ranking. He is the third Indian to clinch Gold at the Asian Games. He is also the third Indian boxer to win a medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships.
JAYANTA TALUKDAR is an Indian archer who has won individual gold Medal in the 2006 Archery World Cup.
Talukdar was part of the Indian team that won the silver medal at the 2004 Junior World Championships. He followed up with a gold medal at the FITA Meteksan World Cup in 2006, becoming the first Indian archer to win gold at the event. In 2006 he also won a gold medal at the South Asian Games and a bronze medal in the team competition at the 2006 Asian Games. In November, 2015, he won Bronze medal in the 2015 Asian Archery Championships with DeepikaKumari in the Recurve Mixed Team event. Jayanta was awarded the Arjuna Award in archery in August, 2006.
LAISHRAM SARITA DEVI is an Indian boxer from Manipur. She is a national champion and a former world champion in the lightweight class. In 2009, she was awarded Arjuna award by the government of India for her achievements.
ANSHU JAMSENPA is an Indian mountaineer and the second woman in the world to scale the summit of Mount Everest twice in a season (and the first to do so within 5 days). It is also the fastest double ascents of the tallest crest by a woman.
BOMBAYLA DEVI LAISHRAM is an Indian archer. A member of the national recurve team representing India at the international events since 2007, she has won a silver medal at the World Archery Championships, and four gold, five silver, and four bronze medals at various editions of the Archery World Cup. She has a gold at the Commonwealth and a bronze at the Asian Games. Laishram was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2012 by the Government of India and the Padma Shri in 2019.
DINGKO SINGH is an Indian boxer who won the gold medal at 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok. He is from the North-eastern Indian state of Manipur. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013.
BHOGESWAR BARUAH is a former athlete and coach. He was one of the first Assamese to win gold at an international event, winning a medal at the 1966 Asian Games. He was the winner of the gold medal in an 800-metre running event of 1966 Asian Games. Baruah’s birthday is celebrated on 3 September every year in Assam, called “Abhiruchi Sports Day” in his honour. He is a recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1966. He is the first Assamese to get the Arjuna award.
Other stars from the region
MANIPUR
Anuradha Devi Thokchom (Hockey)
Kalpana Devi (Judo)
NgangbamSoniyaChanu (Weightlifting)
SushilaChanu (Hockey)
Kunjarani Devi (Weightlifting)
Devendro Singh Laishram (Boxing)
K Sangita Chanu (Weightlifting)
Thoiba Singh (Hockey)
Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (Hockey)
Tingonleima Chanu (Hockey)
ASSAM
Riyan Parag (Cricket)
Monalisa Baruah Mehta (Table Tennis)
Dipankar Bhattacharjee (Badminton)
Gilbertson Sangma (Football)
Tayabun Nessa (Discuss Throw)
Sarat Das (Football)
Debashish Roy (Football)
Mithu Baruah (Swimming)
Elvis Hazarika (Swimming)
Susan Das Choudhury (Lawn Tennis)
TRIPURA
Somdev Devvarman (Lawn Tennis)
NAGALAND
Dr.Talimeren Ao (Football)
Chekrovolu Swuro (Archery)
MIZORAM
H Lal Ruatfeli (Hockey)
Our very own stars…
Matsiewdor War Nongbri (Archery)
Brownson W. Momin (Athletics)
Mayple Laloo (Arm wrestling)
Eva Kharmujai (Arm wrestling)
Benningstar Lyngkhoi (Athletics)
Donboklang Lyngdoh (Karate)
Banshanlang Kharumnuid (Karate)
Rephica Becky Pde (Ultra Marathon)
Wansuk Myrthong (Mountaineering)
Gary J Lamare (Mountaineering)
Torak Kharpran (Boxing)
Stephan Leong (Karate)
Linza Fenny Syiem (Karate)
Damang Syngkon (Karate)
Frankystar Momin (Martial Arts)
Hameshaniah Suiam (Martial Arts)
Darishisha Iangjuh (Marathon)
Batsrang A Sangma (Marathon)
Tlanding Wahlang (Marathon)
Gillford Thangkhiew (Chess)
Achievers with the bat and the red cherry
Parimal Bhattacharjee (Played for East Zone against Australia)
Anup Ghatak (First bowler to take 100 wickets for Assam)
Mark Ingty (Represented Assam, played in Duleep Trophy)
Ramananda Chakraborty
Mukul Roy Choudhury
Peter Jarman Lamare
Md. S. Ghafoor
Madhurya P. Barooah
Sunil Bhattacharya
H.P. Bezbaruah
P. Karmji
Kicking it off
Meghalaya and football are synonymous. There is no other game
that generates as much excitement and enthusiasm as football.
The history of football in Meghalaya is older than the state itself.
Among the teams that have carved out a name for themselves in the football annals of the country are Shillong Lajong FC, Royal Wahingdoh FC and Rangdajied United FC.
In the local leagues, teams like Langsning, Malki, Smit and NangkiewIrathave been carrying the baton of football and have been entertaining football lovers for years.
With the I-League, the trio of Shillong Lajong, Royal Wahingdoh and Rangdajied United were able to showcase their fire-brand type of football before the whole world.
Some of the players from these teams went on to play for some top clubs in the country like East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC and even the cash-rich ISL teams like Goa FC, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters, Northeast United and ATK.
Football is alive and kicking in the state. Despite the craze for cricket in the rest of the country, football has maintained its popularity as the most followed game in Meghalaya.
On the glorious occasion of the Platinum Jubilee of The Shillong Times, here’s a list of the footballers, past and present, who have taken the game to the next level and whose contributions have led Meghalaya to be widely acknowledged as one of the cradles of Indian football.
Niwan Gatpoh
Aiborlang Khongjee
Kynsailang Khongsit
Bowari Khongstia
Milancy Khongstia
Rocus Lamare
Chesterpoul Lyngdoh
Eugeneson Lyngdoh
Hardy Nongbri
Rupert Nongrum
Wailadmi Passah
Samuel Shadap
Herring Shangpliang
Bansharai Sun
Poibang Pohshna
Marlangki Suting
Redeem Tlang
Shlur Nongbri
Fullmoon Pyrtuh
Dennis Wilfread Dunn Ryngad
Handleson Majaw
Puran Bahadur Thapa