The Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh has appealed to all the sportspersons from the state to work hard and achieve more laurels in the national and international competitions.
The Chief Minister appealed it while addressing a gathering at the Shannaroising-gee Numit (Players Day) celebration today at Khuman Lampak main stadium here.
Shannaroising-gee Numit is observed on February 25 every year to commemorate the 25th February, 1999 which was a Red-letter Day in the sport history of Manipur, said Ibobi.
Manipur occupies a prominent place in the field of games and sports in the country. The state has produced a Padma Bhusan; 3 Padma Shris; 13 Olympians; 16 Arjuna Awardees; 2 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees; 1 Dronacharya and 1 Dhyanchand Awardee, said the Chief Minister while hailing the sport-persons from the state.
Besides, Ibobi said that the state has produced one medalist in the Olympic, 16 medalists in Asian Games and 27 medalists in Common Wealth Games. In the recently held South Asian Games 2016 held at Guwahati and Shillong, players from Manipur won 19 gold and 3 silver medals in archery, boxing, cycling, football (women), judo, weight lifting, wushu and kho-kho.
He also said that sport is an area where there is no difference of caste, creed and only talented and hard working determines the outcome.