S.Kannan in Hangzhou
The way Naorem Roshibina Devi fights is fearsome. Inside the FOP (field of play), she is a Wushu tigress. On Thursday, the diminutive 22 year old from Manipur was all pumped up, yet against China’s own star Wu Xiaowei, could win only a silver medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
In the good old days, Indian athletes would go to the Asian Games and the Olympics, just for exposure. Nah, not these kids, anymore. They go to compete, get noticed, and win medals.
Sample this, in four minutes, two rounds, the medal is decided in Wushu. More furious than T20 cricket, if that is a reference.
Roshibina and cricket are alien to each other, yet if you talk of a cold stare and fighting, she is dangerous.
To be sure, Roshibina was not disgraced. She was in aggro mode, combat types and ready to take on a Chinese girl in her own den. Nobody comes to China and expect to win easily in sport. The Chinese are hard, almost to a point of being ruthless. If not, their pride will be dented.
Had this fight between Roshibina and Wu been longer, say, like the good old days of pro heavyweight boxing types of Rocky Balboa version in movies, there may have been more drama. No, four minutes flat, and it was over. This fight had engaged fans as well as even the foreign media.
For, a journalist from Iran settled in London, watching this live fight was a bit curious. His impression of how “an Indian looks” was kind of curious, though he dared to ask his writer where she is from. India and Manipur State was the answer, with an explanation of North East India, which satisfied him.
Nobody is trying to stir the pot. Roshibina is an Indian, she fights for BHARAT, yet her home is in Manipur. She spoke of divinity and prayers back home from family and friends, something which was reminiscent of what MC MaryKom would also ask for. Both belong to the same state.
The other queen, Mirabai Chanu also hails from Manipur, which has been in the news for the wrong reasons for some months.
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There is no normalcy yet and the violence and strife in Manipur not so long ago kept the entire North East India simmering.
Sports and politics are supposed to be alien to each other, but that’s not true. Athletes who come from the North East know they are an emotional lot. They spend a lifetime trying to make a mark. Roshibina won a bronze medal in 2018 in Jakarta. She was not happy with the silver medal in Hangzhou. Why?
Because that’s her craving, her dream, not to win silver. It was gold lost to a Chinese opponent. Next goal for the Indian, win a medal in the next Asian Games. Wushu is not an Olympic sport, yet Roshibina knows she can go for medals in her next challenge at the World Championships in November. Watching her give media interviews, what stood out was her serenity and simplicity. She was not irritated, nor was she complaining.
It goes to show how much effort she puts in while training. Her day begins at 6am, which is late in the North East of India. Hours of training and so many sessions, life is hard.
Wushu is a zero glam sport, so her moment of glory will be in the next few days and weeks. She will get a massive reception in New Delhi and without doubt Sports Minister Anurag Thakur will also meet India’s own sweet girl.
Roshibina will then go home, meet the family, have a quiet meal. She will then meet her friends in Manipur. After all, the welcome will be grand. Her medal back home will be like balm after a lot of trauma caused by violence.
Does the story end here?
It cannot.
If you think of medals from Wushu, how can you not think of the three exponents from Arunachal Pradesh who were unable to make it to Hangzhou. Maybe, had they come, there would be more medals in the kitty. After all, in Wushu, the North East has produced excellent exponents. There is talent, skill and hunger at large among the athletes in the entire region.
More stories will keep coming, of success in Indian sports. Maybe, for those creeps who like to politicize sport, states in India like East, West, North and South are different. No, sport unites. Every athlete who represents India dreams of winning medals for India/BHARAT.
Jai Hind. Vande Mataram from Hangzhou.
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