From crisis to courage: How Manipur hockey team rose above strife

Chennai: Odisha emerged as the champions for the first time in the 14th Senior Men's National Hockey Championship. While they dominated the headlines, there was another team that caught the imagination of the sports aficionado by simply assembling a team out of nothing and then by thumping last year's champions, Punjab, a hockey powerhouse of the country.

Those who watched and followed the competition would have spared a thought for the heroics of Manipur, a strife-torn state. The hockey team of Manipur fought against the odds to make a creditable fourth-place finish in the Championship.

Their prized moment in the tournament came against the defending champions Punjab, whom they defeated in the quarterfinals, and entered the semifinals for the first time.

Moirangthem Meitei, the head coach of Manipur, was happy with the result of his team, who did well with little preparation and despite missing key players.

"The team's performance this time was much better than the last time. We had hopes of reaching the final, but one of our players got injured, and another who was selected for the junior Indian team was not released, thus the defeat in the semifinals," Moirangthem told The Bridge.

Manipur thumped Punjab in the penalty shootout after fighting tooth and nail in a 3-3 draw in the regulation time.

A battle within a battle

For Manipur, currently going through a crisis, this tournament was more than just about winning. With ethnic violence ravaging the state for more than a year now, the hockey team had more than just the tournament to think about.

It was a mountainous challenge for Moirangthem, but he found a way out to motivate his boys, who responded positively.

"⁠There is a fight going on (in Manipur) and we fight through hockey. Prove ourselves at the National Championships and do something for our state that is how I motivated my boys," he said.

"No matter what is happening in Manipur, you have to fight it out here on the turf, that psychological preparation was done," Moirangthem said, talking about the mental preparation of his team ahead of the tournament.

But it was easier said than done. "We were prepared but not up to the level. We had time, but the situation in Manipur is very bad. Internet is often suspended, practice got hindered, and planning between coaches did not go accordingly," narrated Moirangthem. "Despite all of that we came together and performed like that," he added.

Obstacles

However, he emphasised that Manipur has a strong grassroots system in place and the players are indeed motivated to take up the sport in the state.

"Players in our grassroots are very solid, they are interested in the sport of hockey, they have the skill, pace and muscle. We have players who are getting selected on various levels," the coach remarked.

He asserted that while the infrastructure and government support are present for hockey, the political turmoil in the state has pushed Manipur's economy to the brink, and that has become an obstacle, especially in accommodating players in camps.

"We have an infrastructure in place for hockey here, and the government also supports it to an extent, but the situation in Manipur is such that the state's economy is itself down. As of now our finances are tense, ground facilities are available but we need to focus on players' diet and accommodation camps," said Moirangthem.

Focus on future

Despite the odds staked up against them, the Manipuri boys have made themselves extremely proud, standing tall in the face of adversity. According to Moirangthem, they are just getting started.

With a quarterfinal finish last year and a fourth-place finish this year, Moirangthem is confident that a medal will not be out of reach in 2025.

"Yes, next year we will come here for a medal. Last year, when I came here, we did not have the experience, this time we prepared ourselves mentally, we had two Olympians, experienced players from the Indian team, so the camaraderie between national and international players will surely get us a medal next year," he concluded.