Lovlina Borgohain hailing from a nondescript family in Golaghat Assam is the second woman from the North East to win an Olympic medal this time in Boxing. Lovlina has entered the semi-finals and is assured of a bronze medal. Earlier Mirabai Chanu of Manipur also hailing from a poor family finished second in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event on July 23 winning a silver medal for the country. India has 125 athletes in Tokyo, the country’s biggest contingent at an Olympics. Badminton player PV Sindhu will be playing the semi-finals today. MC Mary Kom had a sad exit at the last moment because of a split-second decision.
Before the Olympics Lovlina had won two World Championships bronze medals and two Asian Championships bronze medals. In October last year, Lovlina had tested positive for Covid and went through the treatment regimen. Before the Tokyo Olympics she had trained at Assisi, Italy. The story of almost all the sportspersons from the North Eastern states who have won medals at the Olympics is similar in that they all come from difficult economic backgrounds and had to struggle to be where they are today. The picture of Mirabai Chanu eating with her family in a little kitchen back home is a story of hope and encouragement that a person’s economic status is no deterrent to winning medals provided the person has grit and determination. Then there is also the training, discipline and the support that these sportspersons get from the state – such as the coaching facilities, allowances for a proper diet and nutrition and participation in the world championship events that give them the exposure to compete with the best and therefore not to take things for granted. This gives them the confidence to win medals and bring glory for their country.
Another important aspect is to catch these promising sportspersons young so that talents are honed and nurtured early in life. In India there has been a lot of politics in selecting sportspersons when the criterion should be just one – their potential and the spunk they show in overcoming the hurdles that life throws at them. It must be a moment of pride for the people and governments of Manipur and Assam that they have one Olympic medal winner each. These states must have done something right in identifying sporting talent from the back of beyond and not just from the state capital. Coming to our state of Meghalaya, it is time that due attention is paid to finding and ensuring that those potential sportspersons get the best of training and financial support. For that the state has to have a vision and work towards making that vision a reality.
