Mary Kom gets Khel Ratna; Sarita Arjuna

New Delhi, July 29: For the first time since the inception of the Rajiv Khel Ratna Award in 1991, three sportspersons -- four-time world boxing champion Mangte Chungneijang Marykom, Olympic bronze medallists boxer Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar -- will receive the country`s highest sporting honour.

Mary will be the second sporstperson from the state to receive the prestigious award after weightlifter Nameirakpam Kunjarani.

The only other time more than one sportsperson was bestowed the award was in 2002-03 when shooter Anjali Vedpathak and athlete K.M. Beenamol shared it.

Meanwhile, chief minister of Manipur, O Ibobi Singh and his SPF government expressed happiness over the selection of Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Laishram Sarita for the Arjuna Award.

The chief minister said that four-time world boxing champion May Kom and international player Sarita were really rare and talented players. He expressed his pride at getting the most prestigious sports award by the players of the state and also asked the young players to concentrate and become good players while assuring that sports would surely bring peace to the state.

N Biren Singh, state minister for youth affairs and sports also expressed his happiness over the awards to be given to the players of the state and felt proud of such achievements by the state’s boxing players.

The sports ministry also announced the list of 15 Arjuna Award winners Wednesday.
India`s opening batsman Gautam Gambhir, world No.6 badminton player Saina Nehwal and trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi, who equalled the world record, are among those selected for the Arjuna Award.

The selection committee headed by former table tennis player Indu Puri also selected Olympic medallist Sushil`s coach Satpal and former All England Badminton champion and Saina`s coach Pullela Gopichand for the Dronacharya Award.

The prize money for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyanchand Awards have been increased.

Khel Ratna prize money has been hiked from Rs.500,000 to Rs.750,000 while Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyanchand Awards prize money has been increased from Rs.300,000 to Rs.500,000.

List of awardees:
Rajiv Khel Ratna: M.C. Marykom (boxer), Vijender Kumar (boxer) and Sushil Kumar (wrestling)
Arjuna Award: Mangal Singh Champia (archery), Sinimol Paulose (athletics), Saina Nehwal (badminton), L. Sarita Devi (boxing), Tania Sachdeva (chess), Gautam Gambhir (cricket), Ignatius Tirkey (hockey), Surinder Kaur (hockey), Pankaj Shirsat (kabaddi), Satish Joshi (rowing), Ranjan Sodhi (shooting), Poulami Ghatak (table tennis), Yogeshwar Dutt (wrestling), G.L. Yadav (yachting), Parul Parmar (badminton disabled) .

Dronacharya Award: Baldev Singh (hockey), Jaidev Bisht (boxing), Satpal (wrestling) and Pullela Gopichand (badminton) .

Dhyanchand Award: Ishar Singh Deol (athletics), Satbir Singh Dahya (wrestling).

India vs Chinese Taipei Friendly

Four Manipuris in India first XI:

Irungbam Surkumar Singh, Moirangthem Gourmangi Singh, Bungo Singh and Potsangbam Renedy Singh took the field in India's second and final friendly match against Chinese Taipei on May 27 in the run up to the June 3-14 SAFF Cup in Maldives and Sri Lanka.

The match ended 2-2 draw.
N. P. Pradeep scored both the goals for India in the .

In the first friendly against the same opponents on May 24, there were five Manipuris with young striker Sushil Kumar Singh taking field along with Surkumar, Gouramangi, Bungo and Renedy.

India Squad on May 27: Subrata Pal, Mahesh Gawli, Surkumar Singh, Gourmangi Singh, Deepak Kumar Mondal, Bungo Singh, N.P. Pradeep, Renedy Singh, Climax Lawrence, Sunil Chhettri, Bhaichung Bhutia (captain).

India squad on May 24: Subrata Pal, Mahesh Gawli, Surkumar Singh (66' Nanjangud Shivnanju Manju), Gourmangi Singh, Deepak Kumar Mondal, Bungo Singh, N. P. Pradeep, Renedy Singh, Climax Lawrence (77' Sampath Kumar Kuttimani), Sunil Chhettri, Bhaichung Bhutia (71' Sushil Kumar Singh).

62nd Santosh Trophy

International stars from North East to miss action:

Seven international footballers from the north east, including three regular India senior players, will not take part in the Santosh Trophy in Jammu and Kashmir (May 25-JUne 15).

Renedy Singh, Surkumar Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Sushil Kumar, Bungo Singh, Govin Moirangthem (all from Manipur) and Nirmal Chhetri (from Sikkim) are in the Indian team which is playing two friendly games against Chinese Taipei (May 24 and May 27) in preparation of the SAFF Championship in Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Three others Robert Lalthampuana (Mizoram), Chandam Chitrasen (Manipur) and Naoba Singh (Manipur) were also included in the pre-national football coaching camp in Goa but later left out of the main camp.

Lalthampuana will lead Mizoram in the national championship, Naoba Singh is in the Assam Squad while Chitrasen will not play for Manipur.

Sikkim's Ashish Chhetri and Bigendra Rai will also miss the championship due to national camp for the AFC Under under 16 tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from October 4-8.

Some north east players in the big clubs of the country will, however, be seen action. They include Dharamjit Singh (Mohun Bagan), L. James Singh (Mohun Bagan), Bijen Singh (Mohammedan Sporting), Uttam Singh (Air India) and Lalit Thapa (Churchill Brothers) of Manipur, Pachau Lalawmpuia (Mohun Bagan), Henry Gangte (Mohun Bagan), Lalramluaha (Mohun Bagan), Khanthang Paite (Churchill Brothers), Lalhlimthara (JCT), F. Lalrozama (Pune FC), F. Lalmuanpuia (ONGC, Mumbai), JeJe Lalpekhlua (Pune FC), Malsawmdawngliana (Amity United, Haryana) and Buangpuia Ralte (New Delhi Heroes) of Mizoram, Bilifung Narzary (ONGC, Mumbai) and Marcus Basumatary (Salgaocar) of Assam and Sanju Pradhan (Air India) of Sikkim.

Sir Churachand Football Meet

YWC, NISA win at 51st CC Meet:

Imphal, Nov 30: YWC, Thambalkhong and NISA, Thangmeiband won their respective quarter-final encounters in the 51st CC Meet at Mapal Kangjeibung here on Friday.

In the first match, YWC blanked Nagaland Police with goal in each half.

Kh Ronald put YWC on the best possible start with a first minute goal while L Indramani consolidated the lead in the third minute of the second half.

The policemen had a solid chance to equalise in the 13th minute, but Vileibeizo's attempt was thwarted by YWC goalkeeper Kh Sushil Kumar.

The Nagaland striker was given the yellow card in the 83rd minute of play.

On the other hand, NISA's Charan Rai's 59th minute penalty strike earned them full points against ESU, Wangkhei.

Th Surjit and Th Pravin Kumar of ESU and Y Raju Mangang of NISA were cautioned with yellow cards.

In tomorrow's fixture at 12.05 noon, NEROCA, Sangakpham meet AMOFA, Moirang in the first match while at 1.45 pm, SSU meet City Club, Heirok in the second match.

Source: The Sangai Express