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SIGNS OF A SPORTING SURGE
The capital ‘A’ is not only for ‘Apple’ but ‘A’ is also for ‘Archery’, especially being the traditional sport of the Khasis of Ri Hynniewtrep of East Meghalaya. There is extra happiness in Meghalaya with good news in the field of archery regarding Paia War Nongbri, General Secretary of the Archery Association of Meghalaya being accredited as a World Archery International Judge, a pride not only of the State but of the whole country as well. Robert G Lyngdoh, President of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, in a felicitation ceremony held in the State capital Shillong on the 20th of July congratulated Paia War Nongbri for successfully clearing the World International Archery Judge examination held at Bangkok, Thailand on the 2nd of June 2013.
Paia War Nongbri belongs to the archer family tree. His father Woodward Sohliya was a founder member of the Archery Association of India in 1973 and was instrumental in introducing the traditional archery at the national level in 1993 – known as the ‘Indian Round’. Paia’s sister Matsiewdor War Nongbri, a reknowned archer became the first Asian woman archer to qualify as a FITA (Federation International de Tira Arc) judge. She made India proud when she took up an assignment as member of the Judges’ Commission in Archery in the London 2012 Olympic Games being an international judge among judges from 13 countries. She believes in ‘A mind without fear towards perfection’.
Another glory for Shillong and the State is in the adventure sport of mountain climbing when woman police constable Wansuk Myrthong reached the top of the world – the summit of Mount Everest on the 18th of May 2013. It was certainly a proud moment for Wansuk, for the Meghalaya Police, for the citizens of Shillong and for the State as a whole. She was one of the members of first ever Mount Everest Expedition 2013 team from the North East region of India which was flagged off by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee on the 20th of March this year. She was enlisted in the Police department in 2006 and had undergone a basic mountaineering course at the Mountaineering and Skiing Institute, Indo – Tibetan Border Police, Auli Uttarakhand and had secured high grades there.
Her sheer grit and determination in the adventure sport of rock climbing, they had placed her in the highest of heights even though the sports of rock and mountain climbing have yet to catch on in Meghalaya and are yet to gain popularity even as Meghalaya has plenty of rock formation landscapes especially in the Ri – War areas which rise vertically from the Ri – War plains area of the State adjoining Bangladesh. Wansuk edged on at every opportunity in the scaling of rocks and mountains, braving the dizzying heights and sheer drops and did not miss the opportunity to be a team member of the pre – Everest Expedition on Kolahai peak (5425 metres) and also participated in the High Altitude Physical Conditioning to Mount Papsura (6451 metres) in Himachal Pradesh.
Her peak performance however, was in the morning of the 18th of May 2013 when she stood beside the Indian tri – colour waving vigorously in the wind - swept Himalayas, known in Khasi language of Meghalaya as Lum Makashang. She could climb no further as she was already on top of the world – Mount Everest. Time had stood still as teardrops of joy, exhilaration and emotional impulse rolled down her cheeks. In her words, “It was a moment of transforming my dream into reality.”
Football or soccer is not a mere sport but a rising passion for and of the people, especially of Shillong, Meghalaya and the North East Region of India. It is fit therefore that Shillong is one of the proud owners in India to own an artificial turf ground at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium and its annex at third football ground of the Shillong Sports Association.
It was way back in the year 1896 that the game of football made its appearance in Shillong at the Polo Grounds when the then British authorities held regular tournaments among troops of the military station in the State capital which was eventually picked up by sports lovers who later formed various clubs and organized tournaments. Calcutta teams, the likes of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Mohammodan Sporting were regular seasonal visitors testing their might and skills against the Shillong XI. As the saying goes – ‘Those were the days’.
It has been a very very long way when for the first time in the history of Shillong football that history has been made through the winning of the very first national championship of the game. The Meghalaya Under 16 boys team won the Coca Cola Sub – Junior National Championship proving their mettle by beating the Odisha team at the Father Agnels School in Navi, Mumbai on the 28th of May this year.
Among the cheering spectators were cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar and the Indian Football team captain Sunil Chettri who lamented that he was bitten by the nostalgic bug. He said, “Not long back, I was also playing in age – group tournaments. I felt nostalgic seeing them play. There was a great display of talent and I wish they achieve their dreams.” Yes, may the words of Sunil Chettri prove prophetic especially this year 2013 which has witnessed signs of a sporting surge in Shillong and the rest of Meghalaya.
Another pip on the shoulder of the surging sports spirit is in the entrance of another Shillong team – Shillong ‘Rangdajied’ into the fold of the Indian League – the highest and most prestigeous football tournament in the country. The credit goes to the Shillong Lajong Football Club which had cleared the football pathway for more Shillong teams and also other teams of the North East in joining the I – League Club. Lajong this year had made it and has remained in the I – League and it is at the task of reinforcing its senior and junior team with the basic aim of promoting home talent into becoming future stars.
The sporting surge is therefore surging further on as evident from the striking events so far in 2013. Not forgetting John Thounaojam of the Shooting Association of Meghalaya who has become the first ever shooter to earn a bulls – eye silver in the North East Shooting Championship from among the 189 shooters from all over the region. This event was organized by the Mizoram Rifle Association and John has achieved this feat even as he says, “Shooting is not an easy thing.”
In fact, in sports, nothing is easy going. It is through a tough struggle that I the National Games for the Deaf organized by the All India Sports Council of the Deaf which was held at Aurangabad, the athletes from the Ferrando Speech and Hearing Centre, Ri – Bhoi claimed 26 medals in all. Through the intense coaching of the Army Madras Regiment, the chance for their – Bhoi athletes is now open to represent India in the upcoming 22nd Deaf Olympics to be held in Bulgaria this year.
It is not only that the surge is on but also is the search for hidden talent – to embolden the shy in exhibiting their hidden talents whether in a capacity crowd in a flood – lit stadium or in a sports complex centre or in the school or village playground, in the street corner games which have produced unpredicted stars which will in time blink and shine and fade away in respected remembrance. Yet, all should remember that the flight of the arrow is always to the centre point of the target.
