Manipur: CWG medal winners accorded warm welcome

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 14 (EMN): Two Manipuri hockey players — Sh Nilakanta Sharma and Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam  — who made India proud in the recently concluded Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, by winning silver and bronze medals as part of the national men’s and women’s hockey teams respectively — were accorded a warm welcome when they returned home on Sunday.

On their arrival at the Bir Tikendrajit International airport, Hockey Manipur team along with local club members, well wishers, and respective family members welcomed the two medalists by garlanding them and shouting praising slogans.

Both the medalists, along with their family members, drove straight to their respective homes — Khurai in Imphal East district and Thangmeiband in Imphal West district.

A reception function for two hockey players was also organised at Thangmeiband Yumnam Leikai later in the afternoon while the Manipur Olympic Association organised a similar reception at Olympic bhavan in Imphal wherein weightlifters S Mirabai Chanu and Sorokhaibam Bindyarani and cyclist Rojit were present.

Judoka Sushila Devi Likmabam, who also won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022, also arrived here today and a reception was organised at Heingang area.

Few days back, gold and silver medal winning weightlifters Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Sorokhaibam Bindyarani Devi were accorded warm welcome when they returned home for a few days before their upcoming training session abroad.

Five athletes out of seven sports persons from Manipur, who participated in the recently concluded Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, returned home with medals.