Athletes from Manipur have written so many success stories irrespective of ignorance of Delhi. The valley of Imphal loves to fight for making India proud in the arena of sports. The ongoing Gold Coast Commonwealth Games tournament is another example of this fact.
Our Manipur state has given several champion figures of Indian sports. There is no one like famous sports women Mary Kom. This 2012 Olympic bronze-winning boxer is even today fighting for the pride of Indian flag and chasing a medal in this ongoing Commonwealth Games tournament. Not just this, Manipur had started producing champion women lifters and that is much before the rise of Mary Kom.
One should not be surprised after reading this fact. In the sporting discipline of Weightlifting, Manipuri women players have regularly brought India laurels in the last decade. You can see this sort of impact in this ongoing CWG tournament too. India’s first two gold medals have been achieved by two Manipuri Women.
Last Thursday, 23-year-old Saikhom Mirabai Chanu clinched the first gold for India in the 48 Kg category. On Friday, 24-year-old Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham bagged another gold medal for India in 53 kg category. Both players had also made India proud in 2014 Glasgow CWG as well. In that year, Sanjita got gold medal in 48 kg category and Mirabai had won silver medal.
Women from Manipur state have been capable of lifting heavier weights as they own a rewarded low centre of gravity because of their natural physique. Scientifically, they are more able to squat more efficiently. Above all these science logic, the success lies in the hard work and sweat of these players.
Certainly, several eyes are watching the rise of these two women weightlifters from the state. However, the credit of making this sport a rage in our state goes to Kunjarani Devi. The iconic former world champion, who has over fifty medals, was the first one to achieve worldwide recognition.
Kunjarani Devi had given boost to the interest in weightlifting sport in Manipur state. Her triple silver-winning effort in the Women’s World Weightlifting Championships at Manchester in 1989 can never be forgotten. That moment instilled a lot of belief in Manipuri youth. They had started dreaming about achieving the same. Kunjarani Devi had also won bronze medal in Beijing Asian Games. In her seven consecutive world championships between 1989 and 1995, she won silver medals in six of them. Kunjarani Devi also bagged gold medal in the 2006 Melbourne CWG.
Now, the world is watching Kunjarani’s protégés. These two Sanjita and Mirabai are on the path shown by Kunjarani Devi. This 50-year-old has played a big role in nurturing Manipur as a hub for women lifters. Yes, there are other players too. We should have not forgotten about Ngangbam Soniya Chanu and Monika Devi.
Soniya Chanu who got silver medal in 2010 New Delhi CWG is the next in the queue. She also holds the great potential of making big name in this sports discipline. Monika’s silver at the 2006 Melbourne CWG is also a sign of watching one more superb woman weightlifter from Manipur.
Certainly, more young talent from Manipur will chase glory and create headlines on the path shown by Kunjarani Devi.
Last, but not the least, this how current medal tally in this ongoing CWG looks like for our country, India
6 Gold Medals

  • In 10m women’s air pistol, Manu Bhaker won gold
  • Weightlifter Punam Yadav got gold in the women’s 69 kg category
  • Weightlifter Venkat Rahul Ragala won gold in the men’s 85 kg category
  • Weightlifter Satish Kumar Sivalingam won gold in the men’s 77kg category
  • Weightlifter Sanjita Chanu got second gold medal in the women’s 53kg category
  • Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was the first gold medal winner in the women’s 48 kg category

2 Silver Medals

  • In 10m women’s air pistol, Heena Sidhu won the silver medal
  • Weightlifter P Gururaja got silver in the men’s 56kg category

1 Bronze Medal
Teenager Deepak Lather from Haryana became the youngest Indian weightlifter to get bronze in the men’s 69kg category